You know how you don't remember much before you were five. I remember JFK's funeral. I watched it with my grandmother. I think I was four. I remember every detail. I remember my grandmother crying. A few years later I watch her cry when Bobby was buried. I'm very liberal. My grandmother was very conservative, but loved the Kennedys. She, like so many others had hope and faith that they would make the world better. With each death I witnessed her sorrow. I was just a kid, but for some reason I understood. And then Teddy came along and change the way the world works. I grew up as a child of the 60's and 70's. I remember segregation and always asking "WHY?" I couldn't understand for the life of me and it caused me so much pain. My grandmother always reminded me "It will change in your lifetime, but probably not in mine." It did change in her lifetime. It did. I remember with fondness the legislation that change the face of America. My grandmother hugged me so tight I could barely breath. She whispered in my ear, "I love Teddy." I hope he heard her and all the women who spoke that day.I watched the Memorial yesterday, and today I watched the funeral. I cried because my grandmother would have been so proud of all his achievements. He honored and loved women, children, animals, everyone. He championed all of us and I'm so grateful he was part of my life. I hung my flag in his honor and when I left to go to the market a while ago I was amazed when I saw a street lined with flags. Almost every house has one. One has a big one and tons of little ones lining the pathway with a huge sign "We Love You Teddy!!!" I can't imagine this is the only street in America with flags flying in honor of a truly amazing man. But this is my street, my memory, my grandmother, my Teddy. I'm so grateful he graced my life and changed the face of America. Less than 40 years ago many white people did not respect Black America. Everything changed in the 60's. Everything. Thank God for forward thinking people. Thank God.
Rest in peace my dear, dear man.
XO
5 comments:
Unfortunately the extreme right wingers yell "Chappaquidick" every time you try to put him in a positive light! Politics suck! A good man can be dragged down by the machine and trampled to death! Thank goodness he was strong enough to avoid letting him do that to him! The Kennedys are such a tragic story from a human standpoint. I just try to picture how the family survived so many tragedies? I think that he had a lot to do with it!
I hope you are feeling better?
He made a horrible mistake. Why he did, who knows? In some way it says alot about his character, but then what he worked and fought for over the past half century speaks volumes as well. I guess a person can't be defined by one stupid decision. I'm hopeful he learned something. He had to.
You know, it's funny, I don't look at the Kennedys as tragic. I look at them as winners. Worriors. They're never defeated. They see a goal most of us don't and I admire that so very, very much. Because it's hard to always have optomism. It's truly hard. I know because I face obsticles ever day, and yet I forge ahead. Not because I'm subhuman, but because I don't know what else to do. You can't go back, so you go forward. I admire that family so much for all they've done and all they still do. When I'm low I think "what would they do?" And ahead I plow.
I'm not feeling much better baby. I'm in pain. This is hard. Really, really hard. Who know a broken bone would hurt so much. But it does.
I look at your backhoe and laugh. My brother-in-law said "Suzy, you could make so much money as a backhoe operator." He's an expert, so coming from him, it mattered. He can scratch your back with the bucket. I can't, but I can move it!!! If I can't make money with art I may have to rethink my career. How the hell am I going to navigate with my pink cast? HA!!!
Hi Suzanne,
I don't have a television, but I did hear an NPR commentator who made exactly the points you did and more. Ted Kennedy, like his brothers, and the rest of us, was full of flaws and quirks, and made a horrible error.
He did learn from that and spent the rest of his life trying to live it down. The people of this country have lost a champion. He would have been such a force for the changes in our healthcare system and other work we need to do...
You will navigate with your pink cast with lots of humour and pluck because that's you. I hope you improve every day!
E
Hi baby. Wow, I think I should be on NPR!!! Isn't it funny how we're all so imperfect, but out of stupity comes genuine goodness. He did so much good it brings tears to my eyes. It really does. I really believe he made up for the bad he did. I don't think you can be defined by one decision.
About my pink cast and humor. HA!!! Baby, I'm dyin' here!!! This is hard. Ugh. I keep thinking "Tomorrow will be better." It isn't, it's just hard and really, really painful. For God sakes don't ever break anything. It's just not worth the agony!!!
I have to buy a new TV soon. Would you like my old one? I wonder how much it would cost to ship? You'd have to have cable though. Everything's change with TV's. You can't just plug it in any more and watch something. Let me know if you're interested. Also, you know you can buy a good TV for very little at your local Good Will store. I can't believe the quality of TV's here at ours. WOW!!! People are getting rid of that!!!??? WOW!!! Why I notice stuff like that, I have no clue, but I do. $10 gets you a good 24" screen!!! Hey, I paid almost $400 for mine!!! Sucker.
Love you darling. Thanks for always keeping my spirts up. It's wonderful to have friends who care and who listen. By the way, I'm so happy you have NPR. I listen every day on my way to the park to feed the ferals. I learn something new every day and I'm grateful. How lucky are we?!!!!
Have a beautiful evening darling.
XO
We is crying for him too...
He was a great man!!!
Kisses
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