Editors,

The other day I happened across the following parable by author J.J. Dewey, and received his permission to submit it here along with the comments that follow:

Ellie Jones was a sweet divorced lady but was very lonely. She had no companion with which to share her life. "This should not be," she told herself. "It is the right of every person to be loved by a soul mate."

A few days later, she went to a singles dance and met Mr. Smith who swept her off her feet. For the next week, he wined and dined her and made her heart to flutter with joy. But there was a problem. He would have to move to attend to his elderly mother 2,000 miles distant. The only way he could stay with Ellie would be to send a friend $10,000 to make changes in her home so she could stay there. Then he would require $4,000 a month to stay with her and take care of her needs. If he could come up with the money to do this, then Smith could stay with Ellie.

Ellie had limited funds but she was so crazy about Mr. Smith that she was prepared to sacrifice everything. She also felt that if she ran out of funds that Smith would take care of her.

She gave Smith the $10,000, and for six months she gave him the $4,000 a month. Then she gave him the bad news. She was completely out of money.

To her surprise the next day he was gone, never to be seen again. Ellie was not only heartbroken but penniless and had to depend on friends for sustenance.

Those who think there is an inherent right to health care are like Ellie who thought she had a right to love.

Does Ellie have a right to pursue love? Absolutely!

Does she also have the right to have it granted out of your wallet? You be the judge.

-Dan Howell, junior in family studies and human services, K-State-Salina campus