Washington Resigns - A Most Extraordinary Event

General George Washington Resigns His Commission

 by John Trumbell. The original hangs in the Capitol 

Rotunda in Washington D.C.

“Having now finished the work assigned me, I retire from the great theatre of action, and bidding an affectionate farewell to this august body, under whose orders I have so long acted, I here offer my commission, and take my leave of all the employments of public life.” - George Washington, December 23, 1783

Those who know me well know that I love history in general and American History in particular. December 23, 1783 was a most extraordinary day in both American History and world history. An event like none other before, and perhaps since, took place. Yet, I do not ever recall being taught about this in any History class I ever took. Not at Indian Creek, not at Shawnee Mission South, not at Baylor. What was this event?

George Washington went before the Continental Congress that day in Annapolis, Maryland and resigned his military commission. He had been the Commander in Chief of the Revolutionary Forces since May 9, 1775 when he was appointed by the Continental Congress.

He had led a military campaign that overthrew British rule in the colonies. Historically, when a rebel leader overthrew the established government, he would consolidate political power around himself, purge (i.e. execute) those around him believed to be disloyal, untrustworthy and install himself as dictator. In other words, replace one tyrant with another. Washington was at the height of his power, or so it was thought. Remember that with his military victory, no one knew what was to be. There was no United States, there was no American nation. If anything, there were 13 independent nations left behind. These colonies came together for the purpose of attaining political independence from the British. Washington could have easily accomplished what so many others before him did and bring all 13 colonies under his military control. The situation was ripe for him.

But he chose to relinquish power instead. Who does this? What kind of leader relinquishes all power at the height of his power and popularity? To the best of my ability, I cannot recall any other time in history when someone overthrew the existing government, then gave up all his power. Washington strikes me as a man who has his ego in check and does not possess an inflated sense of self worth.

Ultimately, what Washington's actions did this day was ensure that the newly independent colonies would be governed by civilian rule, not military rule. This would become important as the new republic was eventually formed and the United States of America was brought together as one nation. Our beginning was truly unique. Ours was the first nation in history that was founded on an ideal - freedom. Washington's actions today ensured that the new nation(s) would be unlike any the world had ever seen. For this, what Washington did was monumental.

Washington would go on to become the first President of the newly formed United States of America. Even in this endeavor he set a great precedent by voluntarily giving up power after serving two terms. He set the example of what a President should be, including when it was time to go. Washington retired to his beloved Mount Vernon to live out the remainder of his days.

Resignation of Military Commission

General George Washington Resigning His Commission - The Painting

Washington Resigns His Commission in Annapolis, Maryland

Washington Resignation Manuscript

Managing Political Posts on Social Media

One year from today – November 3, 2020 - is election day. Unfortunately, it promises to be the most vile, disgusting and hate-filled campaign ever. And it will come from all sides, not just one. I know many of you will have your side, which is fine. What is not fine is the amount of disgusting and misleading political posts that will fill each of our timelines. What I have done is come up with a set of rules to help me digest it all and help me keep my sanity. Some of you might find these helpful. Some of you will just skip over all the political posts, which is fine, too. I am just trying to weed out the crap and find a few nuggets of thoughtful writing. Here are my rules to help me manage it all over the next year:

1.       1. Your meme’s will not change my mind. The vast majority of political meme’s contain distortions, half-truths and outright lies. They are intentionally designed to mislead the reader. They may have some entertainment value, but as purveyors of truth and enlightenment – absolutely not.

2.      2.  If you put out a link to an article without any comment, I will not read it. If you put out there a comment like “This is a must read for everyone” or “Supporters of X candidate need to read this and discover the truth,” I will not read it. If you put out a thoughtful few sentences about the article, I might read it. Show me that you at least read the article. At the very least, I will be intrigued. 

3.     3.  I do not trust any media sources. Just telling me that some article is from a “respected news source” will get nowhere with me. I do not think any of them are "respected" at this point.

4.    4.   In this area, I greatly admire independent thought and original thinking. One of the best ways I can think of to display independent thinking is by showing me, and all your readers, where you DISAGREE with your party/candidate of choice. And disagreeing with the outfit choice or the dinner choice at last night’s fundraiser doesn’t count. It has to a disagreement about a significant policy position. Show me where you disagree with your preferred party and you will have my attention and my respect. If you agree with every single position of your preferred party, you simply come off as a lemming to me. Disagreement with your party is not the only way to show original thinking, but it is one way that will get my attention. This is not the only way to show independent and original thinking, but it is a substantial way.

5.     5.  If you view the “other” political party as the sole source of all the country’s problems, and “your” party as not any part of the problem, and their platform as the only available “solutions” to all said problems, then I will see you as merely part of the problem, not any part of the solution.

The Iron Horse Becomes Indestructible

Happy Independence Day everyone! Today, I combine my love of history and my love of baseball to go back 80 years ago - July 4, 1939 - to Yankee Stadium in New York. Lou Gehrig, the Yankee first baseman from 1925 - 1938 had been diagnosed with a rare disease called amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS. Gehrig had earned the nickname "The Iron Horse" because of his seemingly indestructible body. He played in a major league record 2,130 games between 1925 and the early part of the 1939 season. It was a record that would stand for over 50 years. Now, in a twist of fate that was both cruel and ironic, he was dying of a disease that would render him physically useless and would ultimately bear his name. ALS is widely known as "Lou Gehrig's Disease."

Gehrig's baseball career was extraordinary. He wound up with 2,721 hits, 494 home runs, 1995 RBI's and a .340 batting average. His hit total was a Yankee record until Derek Jeter broke it in 2009. His RBI total remains a Yankee record and is 7th in baseball history. He played on six World Series championship teams, he was a 7-time All-Star and he was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1939 in a special election.

His speech on July 4, 1939 was historic (Click here to view it). He showed us that while the body of "The Iron Horse" would atrophy away, the spirit never would. He did not want to give that speech, but his manager, Joe McCarthy, nudged him to the microphones after the crowd had roared for a speech. He gave a speech that was courageous, strong, and heartfelt. He had a disease for which there was no cure. Yet he declared that he was the "luckiest man on the face of the earth." He even received a hug from his longtime teammate, and nemesis, Babe Ruth. The two men did not like each other while they played for the Yankees, but this day was for burying that hatchet.

Lou Gehrig died June 3, 1941 at the age of 37. There is still no known cure for ALS - "Lou Gehrig's Disease."

A Conversation with A Pakistani Woman

Today, I had the pleasure of having an extended conversation with a Pakistani woman who shared her observations and experiences with me. To call this fascinating would be an understatement. As a little background, she came to this country about 4 years ago to study. She is now about to graduate from UMKC with an MBA. Healthcare is her specialty.

Before coming to America, all she knew of this country was what she read through the Pakistani media. Their media does not paint a flattering picture of America or Americans. Her actual experiences here are far different than what is portrayed in Pakistan. I told her that if all you knew about America and Americans is what you read in the American media, you would think that conservatives are mean, hateful people or that liberals are mean, hateful people, depending on the biases of the writer. She came here expecting the worst.

She started off with her observations about our healthcare system. The concept of health insurance is totally foreign to her. I do not think she completely grasped the concept. In Pakistan, there are two levels of care, the public and the private. Under the public system, run by the government, the standard of care is very low, and the conditions are horrid. She said it was common to see 2 or 3 people receiving care to share a bed, and the care is substandard. Under the private system, if you have money, you can get a higher standard of care, your own private bed, access to specialists, etc… But there is no insurance of any kind. To get the private care, you dish out lots of cash. And she said it was very expensive. Her conclusion was that in spite of our system’s shortcomings, it is far superior to the healthcare system in her country.

But what most impressed her about America was its constant, stable supply of electricity. Amazing, isn’t it? We take electricity for granted and we about lose our minds if a lightning strike takes it out. We complain loudly if it is not back up in a timely fashion. Yet in her homeland, the electricity goes out for several hours each day. You just come to expect it over there. It makes it very uncomfortable in the summer when it gets unbearably hot and the A/C gets shut down.

What most got to me though was her experience with average Americans. She said that the Americans that she has run across in her daily experience have been so kind, caring and welcoming. It all started for her as she was preparing to come to America and the people at UMKC were so helpful to her in assisting her with her visa. Her day-to-day encounters with average Americans have really left a positive impression on her. She is eager to go back to Pakistan and tell her people that what the media there says about America and Americans is so wrong. Stuff like this reaffirms my belief in America. This is one of those things that makes America great. And it reaffirms my faith in a basic goodness in people.

There are plenty of things in our culture that are screwed up. But there is a lot that is right with America and Americans. Both of us agreed on this point. We are great. We have room to become greater. I thank this young woman who stretched me a bit, enlightened me a great deal in 20 minutes and helped me to grow a bit.

Six Months. Each Day Is A Gift

Six months ago today, July 18, 2018, I suffered a stroke. In some ways, it seems long ago, in others it is as if it happened yesterday. It has been an amazing journey, and I am a different person physically, spiritually, and mentally. I will state up front that strokes affect everyone differently. A stroke can affect any part of the brain and depending on which areas get hit is what will determine what your recovery will look like.

One of the first questions I had was “Could this happen again?” The answer is a resounding yes. In fact, the biggest risk of a second stroke occurs in the first year after you survive your initial stroke. Depending on which study you want to believe, the risk of a second stroke within that first year is 2x – 7x greater than for a person who has never had a stroke. Men are more susceptible to strokes than women, as men have generally higher blood pressure. Even 5 years out, the risk of a recurrence is 40% higher than for those who have suffered no prior strokes. I read that 23% of women and 42% of men who survive strokes will have another at some point. That’s a lot to live with right there! But I have also learned that living with constant worry and fear is no way to live.

My body is certainly different. My right side is still numb and will likely be that way for a long time, perhaps for the rest of my life. It is a constant reminder, that “thorn in my side” as the Apostle Paul wrote about in 2 Corinthians (2 Cor 12:7-8). One result is that I have lost noticeable grip strength in my right hand. I still have problems holding objects in my right hand. For example, a drink will still tip over unless I watch it carefully. Another I noticed during my initial physical therapy evaluation when the therapist asked me to stand up, put my feet together and look straight ahead for thirty seconds. Piece of cake. Then the therapist asked me to close my eyes. I did and started staggering like a drunk person. My vision was compensating for what turned out to be a loss of function in my eardrums for balance. I have since got much of that function back. Finally, I did have some initial face droop. One of the recommended exercises (out of several) to combat face droop is to practice kissing. I am not making this up! Practice kissing. So, I extend an invitation to all the ladies who wish to help me with this exercise (HAHA). Just have to see the humor in all this mess, too. I have adjusted my diet, primarily by reducing my salt intake, designed to lower my blood pressure. I have lost some weight in the process, although that is not my primary goal or consideration. Finally, I am on 5 different medications daily, consuming 7 pills and that has helped hold my blood pressure in check. I have not missed a dose of medication in the last six months. My body is different now and I will not always be able to do the things I used to do.

The biggest change that I have noticed is in how my brain works. Functions that have been most affected are my balance, my speech and the way I process light. I can tell my brain does not react with the same speed that it used to. I do not fall or slur my words but walking in a straight line can be challenging for me. If you are walking next to me, you might be prepared to get bumped or at least have me lean into you. But the way I process light has really taken me by surprise. I first noticed this as daylight savings time ended and I was driving after dark more often. The incoming lights from automobiles takes a toll and mentally exhausts me. But the night I drove past a police car that had its lights flashing, I felt overwhelmed. My brain could not take it and I had to close my eyes for a couple of seconds. Obviously, I will not be dancing at a club or seeing a movie anytime soon with all those flashing lights coming at me. My brain is rewiring.

This has been an interesting journey as I have progressed through recovery. I was fortunate that I had a mild stroke. I have spoken of a “new normal” in the past and that is exactly what I am discovering. My body cannot do things it used to. My brain works differently, and a bit slower. I can see places where I have had to change physically and mentally. Spiritually, I am filled with more gratitude than ever before and I my soul is filled with more happiness and peace than I have known in years. I am mystified that I have given up things I used to do, yet I am more at peace with myself. I still get frustrated at times, but not like I used to. Each day is a gift. I have made it this far, and God willing, there is much more to go down this winding, unpredictable and glorious path of life.