• Welcome to all New Sikh Philosophy Network Forums!
    Explore Sikh Sikhi Sikhism...
    Sign up Log in

USA The Kennedy Assassination - Reflections After 50 Years

Inderjeet Kaur

Writer
SPNer
Oct 13, 2011
869
1,765
Seattle, Washington, USA
Fifty years ago to the minute, I think, I got up, got dressed and was ready to leave for school when I, for reasons unknown even to me, decided not to go to school. I was 11 and, of course, I attended school on every weekday. My announcement was met with the expected, "Why aren't you going to school? Are you sick?"

"No, I'm not sick.

"Then you need to go to school."

"No."

"You have some other good reason not to go toi school?"

"Yes."

"Well, what is it?" They were trying to be reasonable.

"I don't know. I just know I've got to stay home and watch TV."

I was known to be incredibly stubborn and perhaps a bit fey, as well, and so I was permitted to stay home and watch TV. I took my current book - I don't remember what it was - went to the family room, turned on the black and white TV and plopped myself down on the floor to read and wait. The wait wasn't long.

"We interrupt our normal programming to bring you this special news report. From Dallas, Texas, we have just learned..."

And you know the rest.
...


Today I sit here at my computer blubbering. Unaccustomed tears flowing down my cheeks. I am not a crier. Today I cry.

And so, the hardened, old battle-scarred lioness cries like a baby for a man murdered 50 years ago, for a dream broken, a dream denied, a dream lying in the dust of history. A dream not deferred, a dream destroyed. I dare not play "what might have been."

"We do these things not because they are easy, but because they are hard." Those have been some of the guiding words of my life, encouragement to always do a little more, do a little better, not be satisfied with less than my best.

What happened to us? When did we stop striving for excellence and start settling for mediocrity? We are way off track. What can we do to return to those values that are the birthright of our species? Or have we gone too far? Is it too late?

How can we look into his eyes and give less than we have to give, do less than we can do, and, most importantly, be less than we can be?

Tomorrow I will again be realistic. Today, I mourn a dream.

The Second Announcement. CBS has blocked the first on copyright grounds. Thanks for nothing, CBS.

http://youtu.be/8CLBrcmasEM
 

❤️ CLICK HERE TO JOIN SPN MOBILE PLATFORM

Top