Ruth Bell Graham

Billy Graham's wife, Ruth, died yesterday at the age of 87. To be honest, I've never been that interested in Billy, but I've been fascinated by Ruth since I was a little girl and my dad first read me some of her poetry.

Since then, I've read a few of her books, laughed at the descriptions of her feistyness in her son Franklin's autobiography, and purchased my own copy of her book of poetry, "Sitting by My Laughing Fire."

She was a very cool lady, I think. And now, heaven celebrates at this feisty addition!

I was flipping through her poetry tonight, and came across the following poem, untitled, as all of them in the book are, and paused, remembering why I love this book, these poems, and why I thought that Ruth was a very cool lady.

Not fears
I need deliverance from
today -
but nothingness;
inertia,
skies gray
and windless;
no sun,
no rain,
no stab of joy
or pain,
no strong regret,
no reaching after,
no tears,
no laughter,
no black despair,
no bliss.
Deliver me
today
...from this.