Billy Graham's Suit

Billy Graham is now 91-years-old with Parkinson's disease. In January 2000, leaders in Charlotte , North Carolina , invited their favorite son, Billy Graham, to a luncheon in his honor.

Billy initially hesitated to accept the invitation because he struggles with Parkinson's disease. But Charlotte leaders said, 'We don't expect a major address. Just come and let us honor you.' So he agreed.

After wonderful things were said about him, Dr. Graham stepped to the rostrum, looked at the crowd, said, "I'm reminded today of Albert Einstein, the great physicist who this month has been honored by Time magazine as the Man of the Century. Einstein was once traveling from Princeton on a train when the conductor came down the aisle, punching the tickets of every passenger.. When he came to Einstein, he reached in his vest pocket. He couldn't find his ticket, so he reached in his trouser pockets. It wasn't there. He looked in his briefcase but couldn't find it. Then he looked in the seat beside him. He still couldn't find it.

"The conductor said, 'Dr. Einstein, I know who you are. We all know who you are. I'm sure you bought a ticket. Don't worry about it.'

"Einstein nodded appreciatively. The conductor continued down the aisle punching tickets. As he was ready to move to the next car, he turned around and saw the great physicist down on his hands and knees looking under his seat for his ticket.

"The conductor rushed back and said, 'Dr. Einstein, Dr. Einstein, don't worry, I know who you are; no problem. You don't need a ticket. I'm sure you bought one.' Einstein looked at him and said, 'Young man, I too, know who I am. What I don't know is where I'm going.''

Having said that Billy Graham continued, "See the suit I'm wearing? It's a brand new suit. My children, and my grandchildren are telling me I've gotten a little slovenly in my old age. I used to be a bit more fastidious. So I went out and bought a new suit for this luncheon and one more occasion. You know what that occasion is? This is the suit in which I'll be buried. But when you hear I'm dead, I don't want you to immediately remember the suit I'm wearing. I want you to remember this: I not only know who I am. I also know where I'm going."

May your troubles be less, your blessings more, and may nothing but happiness, come through your door. "Life without God is like an unsharpened pencil - it has no point."

What a beautiful thought...............

Sanity versus Insanity

On December 04, 2010 I wrote a blog titled Tidbits of Information. It dealt with my concerns or convictions of individuals being labeled with varied mental health diagnosis. The possibility was there for physical health issues being the culprit instead; things yet undiscovered in the 1700s-1900s. I collaborated with an out-of-town psychiatrist who would get back with me regarding the required information of this era. Regretfully, I was unable to obtain the info that I needed to continue my blog on that subject. I would welcome insight from anyone that could add to these thoughts.

Recently, I read an article on how mental illness possibly has an effect on an artist’s work. One of the artists in the article was William Blake. It seems most of his drawings and poetry was inspired by visions that he not only saw but with whom he spent time conversing. As in the case of William Blake, many have taken this train of thought to connect art with a form of madness.

Thinking of a close friendship of mine, I think of a person that has been asked to draw this thing or things which he sees. These drawings are horrendous to the point of causing concern to the psychiatrists’ involved in this case. This particular person has several mental health issues; but in many other areas of his life, he is quite intelligent.

Once more, I pick up the thought of labeling. Have we continued to label individuals
not based on their saneness, but their insaneness because we, as a people, have determined what is sane and what is not…..

I know there are areas where there are absolutely no questions that someone is perversely ill mentally. But, where do we draw the line in labeling or casting a shadow of negativity on someone that may not be as MAD as we have projected them to be?….