Thursday, June 14, 2007

If anyone was a saint, she was....

I have always admired the Grahams. I've read many books about them and by them. I grew up watching Billy Graham crusades. Neither of my grandparents (nor my parents) were Christians while I was growing up. However, my grandparents always watched the crusades with me, and admired their work for humanity. They never went to church with me, but they always watched Billy Graham when he was on television. I'll never forget that.
It kind of feels like a distant, but much loved relative has passed. Or the end of an era, in some ways. In close knit relationships like the Grahams had, one often speculates how the surviving spouse will go on.
We had a couple in the Methodist church I attended growing up that had been married 60+ years. I think 66 years. They were so sweet. They walked around holding hands and staring into each other's eyes like teenagers. When the wife died, her husband died the next day. Kind of like Johnny and June Carter Cash. He lasted about six months after she passed, I think. Great love stories like that amaze me. It's almost like a person loses the will to go on after they've lost such a lifelong partner.
My heart and mind is with them all today.

2 comments:

Holli said...

I truly believe people die of a broken heart!
There was a couple in the town I live that the wife passed away on Friday and the husband (who was never even ill) passed on Monday memorial day. Both christians and long standing members of one of the baptist church's in town. I was happy for them that they don't have to be apart but oh their poor children!

neicybelle said...

i loved ruth...i admired her and loved the respect that her family had for her. we asked that same question here at work..."i wonder how long billy will last"...their story was beautiful and i hope when i am that age, i have someone who will love me like that...