The day the President died. It was November 22, 1963. I was two weeks from turning three years old. It must be my first memory as a child, and I remember it, ever so well.
I was the only one home with my mother, and I was sitting on her lap while we were watching President Kennedy and his wife Jacquelyn Kennedy, on that fateful day driving through Dallas, Texas.
My mother loved President Kennedy, and even though I was such a small girl, she instilled that great love into me as well. I loved being on her lap while we were watching this on the television set. For, some reason, I ran to my room, I think to grab my favorite stuffed animal.
It was durning this very short time, that I heard my mother yell out and then into a deep, deep sobbing screaming, "the President has been shot, the President has been shot!" I ran so quickly to be with her and found her inconsolable on her knees on the floor.
Those very short moments, have never left my memory since. The intenseness of what my mother felt was so powerful that it remains with me to this day, and I will be 61 next month. I still get quivers in my heart and tears in my eyes remembering.
I may have been so young, but that moment, was one of the most powerful moments in history. It is recorded in my brain and burned upon my heart...it is a day that will live forever...for a man whose legend, will also, live forever.
For you mom, for teaching me to love such a great man.
One of the greatest men to have ever walked this earth, was murdered in front of the eyes of the entire world, on November 22nd, 1963. All of time stopped at this moment and the entire course of human history, up until this horrendous moment, changed forever... This is John Fitzgerald's most well know speech... May God bless this world and bring it back to the mentality of community, rather than individual, selflessness, rather than selfishness, and peace, rather than war...all of these wrongs JFK fought against, and of of these rights..., he fought for. May you be in Peace President Kennedy. May you, and may this world, be in peace forever...
Besides, his brother, Robert F. Kennedy, who also was assassinated, in my feeling, there have been no finer men, nor politicians, than these two. The ending of their lives meant an ending of an era that could have changed the course, of not only our country, but of the entire world. The United States was greatly respected while these two men lived.
The course of world events, changed dramatically, with bullets, bullets to the brain. Both assassinations occurred on live television. I was a part of them both. The world has never been the same since.
So, on November 22nd, I remember John F. Kennedy and I still mourn his loss and all his contributions to the world and the contributions he would have made. We would have lived in a much better world, had he lived.
This is one of the most touching songs that I have ever heard. I have never been a soldier, but he makes one feel so deeply what a soldier goes through. It is not all glory. Just listen to what he says and you see, what he feels inside, even with his uniform off. The uniform of a soldier.
Today is Veteran´s Day, and although, I am a peace loving individual and detest war that is so unnecessary, I still honor our Veterans with my full heart.
Their lives are not an easy one and the consequences of war, live within them and their loved ones. I ought know. I am the mother of two sons, two Veterans.
So, this is simple, and just to the point. On, this day please remember those who have or still put on their military uniform and do battle in one form or another each day.
My love goes out to all Veterans today, November 11th.
