This Day in History: November 22, 1963
"The cost of freedom is always high, but Americans have always paid it. And one path we shall never choose, and that is the path of surrender,
or submission." ~John F. Kennedy
John F. Kennedy (1917-1963) 35th President of the United States en.wikipedia.org |
Embrace the Past. . .
November 22, 2012 brings with it the joys of Thanksgiving and also its share of sadness. As we embrace the past, one of the most shocking events in our nation's history occurred on November 22, 1963.
Even though cooler temperatures had been predicted, clear skies and a warm sunny day engulfed Dallas, TX on that memorable day. President John F. Kennedy and First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy exhibited their usual charm in preparation for the President to speak at a luncheon with civic and business leaders at the Trade Mart.
But, that speech was never to be given. . .
"His assassination on November 22, 1963, in Dallas, Texas, sent shockwaves around the world and turned the all-too-human Kennedy into a larger-than-life heroic figure. To this day, historians continue to rank him among the best-loved presidents in American history."
Three Shots Fired
Assassination was not new to America
but definitely unforeseen and astonishing.
but definitely unforeseen and astonishing.
What was intended to be a push for
reelection
ended in a cataclysm that led the American nation
in a totally new direction.
ended in a cataclysm that led the American nation
in a totally new direction.
A mass of zealous people
Overran the streets, standing blade to blade
Waiting for even
a glimpse
Of the thirty-fifth President’s motorcade
Then, shots rang
out in Dealey Plaza!
From whence did
they come?
The Texas Book
Depository?
“Grassy knoll”
said some
This tragic
event of ’63
Took the life of
a young president
Leaving an
undying memory
An iconic figure
unduly spent
Was it a
conspiracy
Or the lone
gunman accused?
What major
discrepancies
Left people
beguiled? bemused?
Those of us who lived that era
Still remember the dire words that aired
From CBS News’
Walter Cronkite
“In Dallas, Texas, three shots were fired…”
Engulfed in
numbing disbelief
Eyes filled with
tears, limbs became numb
A nation’s people cried in shock
“What has been
done? What has been done?”
What happened next became history
John F. Kennedy was dead
Now it’s been
well nearly fifty years
With much truth
still left unsaid
“Change
is the law of life.
And those who look only to the past or the present
are
certain to miss the future.”
—John
F. Kennedy
©2012 Awakenings Sharla Lee Shults |
Remember the words of President John F. Kennedy:
Empower the Present. . .
“My fellow Americans, ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country.”
―John F. Kennedy
Enrich the Future. . .
"Let us not seek the Republican answer or the Democratic answer, but the right answer. Let us not seek to fix the blame for the past. Let us accept our own responsibility for the future."
―John F. Kennedy
Hi Sharla,
ReplyDeleteThank you for this very inspiring and motivating post. JFK words of hope and motivation still have power in them. I especially love, "Change is the law of life, and those who look only to the past orto the present are certain to miss the future." How very true are these words. Yest so many people try to avoid change.
Nice poem and a very nice article.
Ciao,
Patricia
Hi, Pat. So good to "see" you visiting Awakenings! Thank you for your wonderful comments!
DeleteThank you for stopping by, Len. I am so appreciative of your words and the inspiration you gathered!
ReplyDelete