Is Grampa too far ahead--or too way behind?

The first time I became aware of a "concern" was on a flight to Utah from Brazil.  I was in my early twenties--excited to be coming home--and excited to actually be visiting in English with Americans.    The acres of formica and steam heat at JFK seemed suddenly so foreign to me--and yet so welcoming home.   It was December.  I'd left a steamy hemisphere of dirt runways and flouishing palms---to come back to New York, brusque people and oceans of freezing slush.

I don't remember preaching to a young American couple across from me on the plane, but I must have talked their most courteous ears off.    Our parting could not have come soon enough for them.

I didn't realize I was a bit too bipolar for the average American bear!  Years later I was diagnosed with Hypermania--a junior version of the grown up version of the pervasive Bi-Polar malady that afflicts depressed then mantic souls in such a sad pendulum swinging way!   Lithium once a day, now, has kept me "regulated" without sacrificing my creativity.

I heard just the other day on K BYU that composer Robert Schumann spend many of his later days in an asylum -- depressed and suffering-- having come down from the dizzying heights of his brilliant creative musical career.  Gee, I hope it never comes to that for me.

Average Joes and Janes take a look at my beard and my sometimes over enthusiasic eyes...and they either think Weird Crackpot or Cute Santa.  I've learned its not too good to be too far out in front of the crowd.

Yesterday we suffered pretty comfortably through the hottest day of the year watching a marvelous version of the Passion of Christ titled simply, JESUS.   The little known actor who played the Savior of the World danced, gently interacted with his fellow humans and did it just about the way I would have expected my heavenly older brother and advocate with the Father would have done it on the earth  back in the day---with classic MEEKNESS--- Tremendous power under complete control.    I recommend it to you.

Was he too far out ahead of "the power curve" in real life.  Yes!  The Pharasees and Saducees wanted him gone.  The Romans were willing to go along--in this case out of boredom and sport. (a Roman politician close to Pilate stages a cruelly hilarious pastiche complete with masks and fake beards--that tips Pilate's hand--that the crucifiction of Jesus was as much for his own entertainment and mounting a grand internal drama for a day or two--as it was the more serious portrayal of the Telly Savalas Version in Zefferilli's Greatest Story Ever Told.

Robert Byrd is being remembered today.  He was orphaned, worked at a hodge podge of trades and found a gift for public speaking.  After being elected to Congress he went to night school -- won the Senate Seat from West Virginia and then went to Law school at night.  At 92 he has the distinction of being the longest serving member of the Senate in history---more than 50 years!   He typifies the best Congress has to offer-- a humble man who learned the system and not only served as a conscience of the Senate--but it's Majority leader twice--and Porker Grand Champion.

More highways and federal facilities have been built with either his name or his influence in West Virginia than anywhere else in America.   (He is what Bob Bennett is referring to when he talks about the uphill battle Mike Lee will likely have regaining Bennett's tenure and respect in the "Upper Body"   He who would change the system, must first learn to work effectively in it.  Not too far out ahead, certainly not too far behind...  Robert Byrd sent Thank you Notes for the Thank you Notes he got from other Senators.    Senatorial Courtesy.

It's said that Barak Hussein Obama arrived a newly minted Senator from Illinois and learned how far he'd have to go to become a Robert Byrd style influential Senator--and went straight for the White House.   It's the old lions of the Senate that control purse strings and legislation that get signed into law as much in a squeeze play as in justice for all.

Robert Byrd used to celebrate his annivesary in part with the ever growing buckets of white roses delivered to his Senate Office in the old SOB-- (Russell Senate Office  Building) by his dear friend and fellow democrat Ted Kennedy.   Though he never followed JFK in the White House or his next oldest brother RFK on the road to that powerful place on Pennsylvania Avenue, Young Teddy came to the Senate at 35--barely old enough to be elected...and stayed til his death last year.   His impact, especially on social legislation will be rembmered long after the lesser Presidents are forgotten.  He learned to be in the accepted middle, headed upward and onward.  Certainly, my goal.  JWH