 | Time IndefiniteA repository and collective timeline of our individual significant moments in time. |
The Funeral Of A President
Posted On Saturday April 28, 2007 By Dan
John Kennedy’s death and funeral I remember quite vividly. I was stationed in Washington D.C. at Bolling Air Force Base on the Potomac river as a member of the USAF Honor Guard and represented the Air Force in ceremony’s at the White House. Attending state dinners for foreign dignitary’s on a regular basis and standing next to all those important people throughout the receptions developed a certain closeness to them. I was 18 years old at the time. Of course you could never initiate conversation and always stood at attention.
John-John would place his toe next to my very spit shined shoes and giggle before getting retrieved. Jackie could be seen running and playing with the kids across the lawn. Walking in step with representatives of the other branches of service up the narrow spiral staircase to the personal living quarters and asking the president for permission to get the flags was a heart pounding event.
I was playing basketball at the base gym when the assassination was announced over the loud speaker. From that moment on, for several days, I do not recall meeting anyone in the military with anything but a very grim look on their face. No joking or the usual barracks grab ass.
Everyone got their assignments. Different squads of airmen were assembled to be at every point of arrival and departure of the slain president and family. Army, Navy, Marines, and the Coast Guard were doing the same. I remember talking to a sergeant and good friend about how emotional it was for him and others to bear the body as it exited the plane at Andrews Air force base.
I was selected to be one of four airmen to march along side the coffin as it was moved from a private service at the white house to the rotunda of the Capital building. The only sound I heard in the entire city during that trip was the loud echo of hoofs on the street from the horses that were pulling the caisson. The next day, me and many from all the Honor Guards waited for hours on the steps of the Capital for the procession to exit. We were trained to keep our eyes forward but I looked enough to the right to see John Jr’s. now famous salute to his father. Each year at anniversary, when the videos and images start appearing, I’m able to place myself back in time with both sight and sound.
Tags: assassination, emotional, guard, honor, jfk, kennedy, usaf
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"John Lennon Was Killed"
Posted On Tuesday April 24, 2007 By Molly
In some respects, I feel sort of silly putting the death of a celebrity here. But, I suspect for a lot of people John Lennon’s death was a really significant moment in their lives.
I was born in the early 60’s, so while I was too young to remember the Beatles arrival, I do feel like they were incredibly present my whole life. My sister was seven years older than me. I remember she had a birthday party and was given Yellow Submarine, and all the girls danced to it. She used to listen to Revolver over and over again. I remember staring at the album covers. I was amazed by John. He was my favorite. He seemed unlike anyone I knew.
I found out John Lennon had died, the morning after his death. My mother woke me up for school and the first thing she said was “John Lennon was killed” and I could tell she was so sad.
I was shocked. I remembered earlier in the fall we were out in the football field practicing our baton twirling, and a plane circled overhead skywriting “Happy Birthday John and Sean” and we were all amazed.
To this day, I still get sad when I think about it. Whenever I watch one of those dumb VH1 “100 most shocking moments in rock and roll” shows where they end with the murder of John Lennon, I find myself crying. It’s shocking so many years later. I wonder how many other people cry as well.
Not that long ago I was in the supermarket with my boyfriend and “Imagine” started playing. He turned at a certain point and said “this song is making me sad” and I said “me too” and we talked about why. It makes me sad that the things John Lennon did and said so long ago are still relevant today. It makes me sad that there aren’t more people like him. There are no John Lennons of today.
Tags: 60's, imagine, john, lennon, murder, peace, sixties
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Final Moments With My Mother
Posted On Monday April 9, 2007 By Matt
After 12 years battling cancer my mother lost the fight on this date. Her suffering had finally ended. I will always be grateful that I could be there holding her hand in those final moments. There is really no way I can sum up what she meant to me. I only hope I can make her proud. This is one of the last photos I have of her taken on one of the last truely happy days we spent together. Even though you can see the bruising on her arm from the many chemo treatments, and her hair is just growing back, this is how I want to remember her. She was someone who could find a smile no matter how bad things were.
Tags: cancer, grateful, hand, holding, loss, mom, mother, suffering
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