The Nov. 28 Optimist article “After a bitter past, woman donates kidney to her ex-husband’s wife,” about Angela Maples and Amanda McCowen, told a remarkable act of forgiveness.
Mending fences can be done, and here is the proof. I had a little visit to the emergency room a few weeks ago and wondered, “How do I get home?” My former partner and his wife were available! After all these years, we are friends. Thank you, Lord, for my loving family.
Wendy Sorrell, Olympia, Washington
It started with apple-picking
The Feb. 13 front-page article “Democrats release batch from trove of Epstein photos” reported that House Republicans accused their Democratic counterparts of “cherry-picking photos and making targeted redactions to create a false narrative about President Trump.”
This accusation is, as my grandmother would have said, like the pot calling the kettle black. Cherry-picking is the classic method of blame-shifting, dating to the story of the Fall in Genesis, where Adam — humanity’s first politician? — blamed Eve, and Eve blamed the serpent for deceiving her about the forbidden fruit’s power. This pattern of avoiding or deflecting responsibility continues to the present day.
All debaters know how to cherry-pick evidence to demonstrate what they want shown as the source of the trouble. As a college debate team member and later a high school debate coach, I kept two sets of file cards: one with evidence that could prove a case beyond a reasonable doubt, and the other undercutting everything that suggested the case was proven.
Members of Congress always have “evidence” ready for charges of cherry-picking, and we constituents are left to weigh the cherries.
Martha Wessells Steger, Midlothian, Virginia
The real medical mysteries: The bills
The Dec. 17 editorial “Josh Hawley’s non-solution on health care” sung the praises of a “health care tax policy that puts the individual in control: health savings accounts. HSAs allow individuals to save for health care expenses tax-free. They can also invest the money to beat inflation.” Republicans advocate “putting patients back in charge” by letting them pay for their care through HSAs in place of insurance.
I’m afraid HSA boosters are putting the cart before the horse. The health care system needs to be simplified before we encourage people to go shopping for their care. I’ve been a health care worker for the majority of my adult life and still find the system confusing. Case in point, I had a serious health issue 20 years ago and wanted to know what a particular test would cost. The response was “You have insurance, don’t you?” I said I still wanted to know the cost in case my insurance wouldn’t cover the total amount. They said they didn’t know the cost because it’s different under different circumstances. In what other setting are we asked to be responsible for a bill but not told what that bill says or how much a third party will help? And frequently we’re asked to sign documents when we are not feeling well, which makes it all the more difficult to know what responsibility we’re assuming.
Systemic reform needs to start with simplification and transparency. People should be told what our options are, what they will cost and what outcomes we might expect. Then, patients will be on their way toward being in charge.
Susan Wilensky, Glenwood
Antidotes to loneliness
Regarding the Dec. 7 news article “The loneliest Americans, according to a survey of 3,000 adults”:
Though it is disheartening to read about the increasing social isolation among Americans, especially middle-aged and older adults, the data underscore the importance of joining civic organizations, which have long been a proven antidote.
America is home to many of the world’s largest and oldest civic organizations, including Rotary, Lions, Kiwanis and Big Brothers Big Sisters. Most were founded in the early 20th century. At that time, loneliness and isolation were becoming recognized as significant societal problems in North America, where rapid urbanization had shifted populations from smaller, close-knit rural communities into more anonymous environments. Those service groups quickly flourished as people were searching for solutions. Over the past century, these organizations have become an integral part of American social life, offering people opportunities to build connections while contributing to the greater good. When my wife and I relocated from D.C. to Chicago 14 years ago, I quickly found new friends through Rotary.
Nowadays, membership in traditional civic groups is often dismissed as something belonging to our parents’ generation. Yet as we face this epidemic of loneliness, community organizations are more relevant than ever. It starts with each of us: reaching out to a neighbor and inviting them to join a local group, be it a cycling or book club, a PTA or a Rotary club, all of which can work miracles against loneliness.
John Hewko, Evanston, Illinois
The writer is CEO of Rotary International.
Post Opinions wants to know: Have you or someone you know found an antidote to loneliness? Tell us about it, and your response might be published in the letters to the editor section. wapo.st/loneliness
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