To the editor:

The headlines say it all: Americans are very much aware of the bad economy, the escalating costs of healthcare, job losses and the chaotic functioning of our government.

Sometimes, it all feels very hopeless. But in late February, my husband and I traveled to Seattle to attend a remarkable concert by a German-American violinist named David Garrett. As he played the strings of his Stradivarius, performing a variety of tunes from heavy metal to baroque, I found my spirits lifted and my optimism renewed. Mr. Garrett’s audience must have felt the same way, as the crowd roared; he was called back three times to give us even more gifts of his remarkable talent.

But something else happened that night. As many know, there are generally never enough bathroom stalls for women to use in older theaters. Since women take twice as long as men, the problem always seems compounded. As I stood in line, a discussion was initiated as to how we could save the plumbing system (and time) by flushing on the third use. Another woman decided it would help to stand between the sinks and turn the faucet on and off for the hand wash, and yet another handed out the paper towels for drying hands. We developed a system which kept our time in the restroom to a minimum; we all laughed at our cleverness in “beating the system,” so to speak.

And, with this kind of cooperation, a majority of us made it back to our seats before intermission was over.

There was real and genuine thought given to a real problem, and we (all of us together) found a solution. There was no thought of party affiliation, no name-calling, no decision to oppose any ideas. We women wanted to achieve a goal, and we did.

Politicians everywhere: Are you listening?

Paulette Becker

Langley