This story was sent to me by my friend Debi. It’s not a story about the healthcare system, but it most certainly teaches us a lesson that we can apply:
Barbara Walters, of Television’s 20/20, did a story on gender roles in Kabul , Afghanistan several years before the Afghan conflict. She noted that women customarily walked five paces behind their husbands.
She recently returned to Kabul and observed that women still walk behind their husbands.
From Ms. Walters’ vantage point, despite the overthrow of the oppressive Taliban regime, the women walked even further back behind their husbands, and seemed to appear happy to maintain the old custom.
Ms. Walters approached one of the Afghani women and asked, ‘Why do you continue with an old custom that you once tried so desperately to change?’
The woman looked Ms. Walters straight in the eyes, and without hesitation said… ‘Land Mines.’
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According to Debi (and the millions who forwarded this before her): The moral of the story is (no matter what language you speak and where you go) is: BEHIND EVERY MAN, THERE’S A SMART WOMAN.
But I actually see it a bit differently (you knew I would!)…
I think instead it teaches us that we can’t simply place judgment, or accept what we are told, or what we see, without looking behind it. Without asking why? or what else don’t we know? or for some sort of explanation.
When something doesn’t seem to make sense, then there is something we don’t know. If you are diagnosed, you need to ask, “How did you arrive at that conclusion? What else can it be?”
When your doctor tells you what treatment you need, you need to ask, “What other possible treatments are there? What do I need to know about how this treatment will affect me?”
To get the healthcare you deserve… NEVER stop asking questions.
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