Importance of writing in a journal

My wife has done an excellent job of showing through her example how important it is to write in a journal. There's something about living life, then analyzing it, that give you pause and helps you to clarify what you're doing in life and where you need to go.

I've been working as an intern at Blue Care Network over the past couple weeks. I've really enjoyed it and it's given me a good opportunity to get a sense of what the insurance side of healthcare is like. I've been learning a lot about risk arrangements, physician reimbursement, and a number of novel ways to help individuals live healthier lifestyles. The more I get involved, the more everything is starting to come together that I've learned these past two years. It's difficult to put my finger on it, but one of these days I'm going to sit down and write an essay on what my views are on healthcare and what I think should be done to fix this healthcare problem that we're having. It's sad because as I learn new things, there's no centralized place for me to write my thoughts. I know that's just an excuse and I'm going to do a better job of clarifying my thoughts and opinions.

I got a forward from my Mom today about President Obama. I thought it was outrageous that she forwarded it to the rest of the family, particularly because the contents of the letter were so defaming and untrue. A transcript of the letter can be found here.

Here is what I wrote her back in response:

Hi Mom,

I just finished reading this letter and wanted to share my two cents. It's definitely thought provoking, and I haven't written this much about politics in a while. Hopefully it does an adequate job in portraying what's on my mind.

I agree that we should stand up for our ideals, Mom, but if there's one thing that I've learned in graduate school, it's that there is almost always another point of view that isn't always apparent at first blush. One thing that I find difficult when discussing politics is that pundits always paint the picture either black or white. It's not always that simple. Life is complicated, and we as citizens need to do a better job of looking at both sides of the picture before making judgments of what is right and what is wrong.

Do you remember the musical "Wicked" and what your preconceived notions of the Wicked Witch of the West were before the play? Of course, before I saw the musical I thought of her as a heartless, ugly, bitter witch who didn't care for anyone but herself. Then, after seeing the musical, you see her in a different light, trying to do what's best for everyone.

I'm not trying to say that Obama is or has been the perfect President. However, I think sometimes we need to be skeptical about the things we listen to or read on the Internet, especially when it comes to matters of politics.

I think I remember telling you that Obama came to Ann Arbor to speak during this year's U of M commencement address. I particularly liked a portion of his speech when he discussed this hot political environment that we're in. Check it out here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pcNXFz_QCVU#t=6m06.

Needless to say, Mom, I love you. I know you have the best of intentions. I just think before spreading incendiary allegations and "fanning the flames" to the rest of our extended family, we need to step back, get a broader perspective, and take a look at the other side for a moment before making judgments.

Love you tons,
Jonathan

You know, it actually felt good to write that letter to my mom and help her understand where I was coming from. In fact, it makes me want to make sure I understand my stance on certain positions and be able to articulate them in a way that I'm pleased with. So often I get hung up on how people view me as a person. I need to be more forthcoming and actually communicate with others on what my views are.