The 60's and President Kennedy

I thought I would add a few thoughts
about the 60's.
To the baby boomers
the famous question
is:
"Do you remember where you were when you heard President Kennedy was shot?"
I was
almost 6 years old
and yes I do.
I was home from school with the mumps.
My mother was crying in the kitchen
the news on the television was disturbing
and I knew something epic had happened.
Looking back, this was an event that would
change everything
forever.
Not only had we lost a beloved, young, president.
An act of atrocious violence
had entered our world on a grand scale
and we were changed
forever.
There were weeks of mourning.
Stores were closed
everything stopped.
Network television programs
were canceled from 3 pm November 22 thru November 26 that year.
It was the first news event ever that garnered complete coverage on the airwaves.
and for 5 days.
Even Christmas and New Years parties
were canceled that year.
We were reeling.
That event still can shake.
We went to the Texas Book Depository
and the Sixth Floor Museum in Dallas, TX last year,
the place from which
Lee Harvey Oswald
fired those fatal shots.
It was moving and sad.
Oh so sad.
A young president shot down in the pride of his youth.
A young beautiful widow now left to raise those young beautiful children alone.
Camelot dissolved.
Those images of those little Kennedy children in those little coats
at their fathers funeral were almost too much to bear.
John's famous salute.
Heart wrenching.
The riderless horse with boots facing backward.
The mournful yet honoring ceremony based on Lincoln's funeral.
Jackie and family at the grave site with darkness approaching.
Gut wrenchng.
Jacqueline Kennedy and the children remained in the White House
for two weeks following the death .
Jackie remained in mourning for a year.
Honestly, how she survived, what she saw and experienced is
beyond my imagination.

The assassination was an event that tilted the axis.
We knew men were capable of despicable evil.
(Yet we really knew that all along.)
But, the Republic survived,
the Presidency survived,
we survived,
yet forever changed.
My little six year old life was touched.
Even I,
was changed,
forever.