medicare, meditation

i'm an immigrant citizen. the first time i heard the word 'medicare' was when great aunt sarah went into the hospital. she was in her late nineties, beautiful, funny, witty, generous. it turned out she was dehydrated and found practically passed out. why? she adamantly refused to wear diapers. i often overheard hubby talking to her on the phone. they were always delightful and affectionate conversations. he would find a moment to sweetly plead her to drink and she would chuckle it off. meanwhile, back to the hospital, everyone loved her, treated her royally, hydrated her and after a few days of wonderful care, they sent her back to her apartment, and the family all felt relieved and happy. i asked, who paid for her hospital bill? medicare, i was told. oh. somehow i was left with the impression that medicare was one of sarah's friends who loved her so much that he or she wrote her into the will. (honest to god, it wasn't until this healthcare reform debate that i have a better understanding of this medicare situation.)

a few months went by. rachel was back in the hospital again. dehydration, of course. she sprang back to life after a stay of lovingly marvelous care. by the way, she was so irresistible, likable, it is impossible not to treat her like a dowager. this cycle went on for several years. at some point, i thought to myself, this medicare is going to be in trouble at some point. of course i dared not bring this up to anyone. meanwhile rachel's adventures had provided the family with a trove of delightful memories. her strong personality became stuff of family legend.

aunt sarah passed away 3 days before her 106 birthday, two weeks after a stroke.

as a family of course we cherish and welcome all the good times sarah gifted us. meanwhile, as a people, as a country, i know we have a long and difficult road ahead to figure out how and what to do about medicare.

as a meditator, i learn to look at the body as a vehicle. a beautiful, capable vehicle and like all vehicles, it will wear out. i take good care of it so it will probably last a long while. but i also know, like a car, at some point, the bender may fall off, the battery dies... will i be able to embrace the situation as it unfolds? will i be able to live in accordance with the understanding that i am still what i am no matter what happens to the body? that totally depends on how firmly anchored i will be in the Self.