An Ounce of Prevention is Worth a Pound of Cure

Ah…Benjamin Franklin! He’s one of my favorite founding fathers. He was intelligent. He was an innovator. He was wise among the ladies…which is both funny and strange. And history has attributed him with saying, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure”. I couldn’t agree more.

I tend to think of ‘ol Benjamin working diligently at his desk when all of the sudden a rumble of thunder spurs an unexpected change in his day. He peers outside his window and looks for the ominous storm approaching. It’s to the south! He quickly gathers his coat and hat, and hurriedly exits his home. As he begins his walk to the nearest southern hill, he goes through his mental checklist: Kite? Check. Key? Check. String? Check. I suspect Benjie, a smart as he was, was thinking his life might be at risk. All the research he had done and the experiments he’d performed must have given him some insight as to the power he was flirting with.

He arrives at the tallest, southern-most hill within walking distance. The dark, turbulent clouds have overtaken the peaceful sky. Thunder and lightening get tangled with each other. The rain is cold and spits down from the sky making it difficult for Benjie to see. Yet, he still manages to erect his kite and keep it in flight amid the assaulting wind! Then, it happened….

Afterward, I imagine Benjamin, wet and disheveled, walked home with a goofy grin on his face. Perhaps his hands tingled a little from the electrical shock. Maybe his hair was a bit singed. His kite, torn almost to pieces, might have dragged along side him. I wonder if it was then when he realized just how lucky he was. For on that day not only was electricity discovered…but Franklin, no doubt, also discovered the importance of electrical safety! An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure indeed!

Brandi S. Borgstadt
Marketing Manager for
Grace Engineered Products
www.graceport.com