Wednesday, April 28, 2010
I took Jean to her out-patient appointment today.
She is under the care of an eminent professor, an acknowledged leader in his field, who impresses me hugely each time he sees her.
He listens with the greatest respect; takes time to explain with the greatest clarity; and even though there is surely a limit to what he can actually do, always, and invariably does it.
he has the humility that a really grounded expert usually possesses; he explained today that some of her symptoms are beyong his expertise, and so would take advice from a cardiologist.
She went away reassured; and also with a sense of understanding what is happening to her better. And so better equipped to live with it.
It seemed to me he exemplified everything that is good about the NHS: a generous commitment to give everyone the best treatment, no matter the expense.
Tonight I went to the Traverse to see THE GOAT by Edward Albee.
I generally find contemporary plays so difficult, because they force me to con front my own arrogance. And because so often i find myself rewriting the play in my head as i watch it, generally with the assumption i could do a better job of it.
But not here. The writing was so utterly superb. Beautiful dialogue, beautiful structure, a fearless aesthetic.
And staged with the same kind of values that prevailed in our encounter with the consultant: a passion for excellence. A love for the art.
meantime the media are obsessed with an utterly trivial slip made by gordon brown, something entirely understandable given the pressure he is under, and something which should, in fact, never really have come to light.
A triviality; while the major issues are being utterly ignored.
Among them, the suffering being inflicted on the people of Greece by the failures in the current economic system that will as surely strike us the moment this election is over.
And which threaten to end the very beautiful and reinforcing kinds of experiences I have had today.
I try not to go to bed with my being full of dread.
She is under the care of an eminent professor, an acknowledged leader in his field, who impresses me hugely each time he sees her.
He listens with the greatest respect; takes time to explain with the greatest clarity; and even though there is surely a limit to what he can actually do, always, and invariably does it.
he has the humility that a really grounded expert usually possesses; he explained today that some of her symptoms are beyong his expertise, and so would take advice from a cardiologist.
She went away reassured; and also with a sense of understanding what is happening to her better. And so better equipped to live with it.
It seemed to me he exemplified everything that is good about the NHS: a generous commitment to give everyone the best treatment, no matter the expense.
Tonight I went to the Traverse to see THE GOAT by Edward Albee.
I generally find contemporary plays so difficult, because they force me to con front my own arrogance. And because so often i find myself rewriting the play in my head as i watch it, generally with the assumption i could do a better job of it.
But not here. The writing was so utterly superb. Beautiful dialogue, beautiful structure, a fearless aesthetic.
And staged with the same kind of values that prevailed in our encounter with the consultant: a passion for excellence. A love for the art.
meantime the media are obsessed with an utterly trivial slip made by gordon brown, something entirely understandable given the pressure he is under, and something which should, in fact, never really have come to light.
A triviality; while the major issues are being utterly ignored.
Among them, the suffering being inflicted on the people of Greece by the failures in the current economic system that will as surely strike us the moment this election is over.
And which threaten to end the very beautiful and reinforcing kinds of experiences I have had today.
I try not to go to bed with my being full of dread.
Labels: beauty in unexpected places
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