In 1972, Neil Diamond's song, "I Am, I Said" prevented me from suicide. For years thereafter, because I have bipolar disorder (manic depression) I had manic episodes where I was convinced that Neil Diamond was Jesus Christ and I was "supposed" to be his "bride." In 1980, I took off to Los Angeles, believing that he would meet me to marry me.
I was a "stalker" before that term had been coined. I walked the streets of LA for three months, trying to find Neil. I even had my name changed with the Social Security Administration so my last name was "Diamond."
I charged over $1500 to Neil's production company that was in the process of filming "The Jazz Singer" for telegrams to radio stations all over the country announcing that Jesus Christ had finally found his "bride" and that the marriage to save all of humanity was about to take place soon.
These episodes reoccurred several times until 2003, and the Delilah Radio Show. Around Thanksgiving that year, Delilah had a show devoted to something you were thankful about. I wrote in and told her how grateful I was that Neil's song had deterred me from suicide.
About six weeks later, during Delilah's Christmas show with Neil Diamond, she called and asked if I wanted to share my story on the air. When she began the phone conversation, suddenly, Neil Diamond was talking in my ear saying, "You've done me great honor ... by sharing this story and I love you for it"!
I was so stunned, I didn't know what to say, and told Delilah, "I don't know how to thank you for this"! She replied, "Pay it forward."
I have since never had another manic episode whereby Neil was the "object" of my thought disorder.
So, because of the Delilah show and her magnificent Christmas gift of allowing me to personally talk to Neil, I've been healed of my psychotic delusions about him. What greater Christmas gift could there possibly be? For Neil to say "I love you," on national radio?
So, I am continually grateful to Delilah for her wisdom and grace to give me the best Christmas present I could ever have received.
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