I realize this is not a recent entry for you, but I just read it. I wish you had included more detail about India and why it is cost effective. Those of us who want the system to change must argue with people who assert that our system is better than Canada/England/India etc. Most of the time, I sense they have nothing but fear as a platform. I work in the healthcare delivery system and my patients are 90% impoverished. Everything you say about our system is 100% true in my experience. Thank you for entering into the dialogue.
Elizabeth

I enjoyed reading this dialogue and agree with you that while we don't need to prove our worth, yet "Faith without works is nothing" as Paul said. It is important that no matter what a person believes that they live their lives in accordance with their faith- they must walk their talk.
In every faith there is a component of service and compassion. In fulfilling the actions of our faith, in fullfilling this service to humanity, we do indeed demonstrate our worthiness even though we have already received grace from our Creator. We are not perfect, yet we can try to emulate the life of Jesus and follow his teachings to serve and honor God.
Respectfully,
Silvergirl

You have had a full life! But is it only the beginning?! I see we both practice law. I specialize in Native American Treaty rights. I have decided to take a break from it at this moment in time to enjoy my moments and ponder before going on with life. SummerLyn

Suicide~ Some say it's a 'cowards' way out. A lot can be said about this.
For me it is against 'spiritual law'. How is it that a person can end their life, a gift, given to you by the Creator. Do they not know there is suffering for those who are left behind, and there is suffering for their soul when they cross over? I have pondered the question of 'Why'.
I can only try to understand, but can you?
This brings to mind the book written by Carolyn Parkhurst entitled: "The Dogs of Babel". In it, there is an excerpt...
"Suicide is just a moment, Lexy told me. This is how she described it to me. For just a moment, it doesn't matter that you've got people who love you and the sun is shining and there's a movie coming out this weekend that you've been dying to see. It hits you all of a sudden that nothing is ever going to be okay, ever, and you kind of dare yourself. You pick up a knife and press it gently to your skin, you look out a nineteenth-story window and you think, I could just do it. I could just do it. And most of the time, you look at the height and you get scared, or you think about the poor people on the sidewalk below - what if there are kids coming home from school and they have to spend the rest of their lives trying to forget this terrible thing you're going to make them see? And the moment's over. You think about how sad it would've been if you never got to see that movie, and you look at your dog and wonder who would've taken care of her if you had gone. And you go back to normal. But you keep it there in your mind. Even if you never take yourself up on it, it gives you a kind of comfort to know that the day is yours to choose. You tuck it away in your brain like sour candy tucked in your cheek, and the puckering memory it leaves behind, the rough pleasure of running your tongue over its strange terrain, is exactly the same.... The day was hers to choose, and perhaps in that treetop moment when she looked down and saw the yard, the world, her life, spread out below her, perhaps she chose to plunge toward it headlong. Perhaps she saw before her a lifetime of walking on the ruined earth and chose instead a single moment in the air"
I can only hold sympathy for those who feel such pain.
A lot more can be shared, but well..I feel I have said, 'enough'. Thank you for allowing me to share thoughts here. Summer

Good one.

This is very interesting to me. I'm glad I came to read your blog. It's always so interesting to me to learn something about the people we meet here. Thank you for sharing a bit of yourself, it's nice to meet you.