Fifty years ago today John F. Kennedy was assassinated. His death put in motion a chain reaction of several factors that continue to affect our society today – indeed, affect many societies around the world. The upbeat, optimistic and hopeful times following the end of the second World War, all through the end of the Vietnam War, came to an end. JFK’s death signaled a slow migration toward cynicism and fear as well as a distrust in our government and each other.
At the time of this crisis, I was a 15-year-old living in France. All these years later, I feel privileged to have experienced this event while living among military families residing abroad. I got to see firsthand the heartfelt pain and anguish from neighboring nationalities that reassured me in that moment that we reigned as the world’s most powerful and revered nation. JFK stood for that power. He was not perfect, but who is. I miss him. I miss his message. I miss what he represented to a enthusiastic nation that still believed … in itself and in others.
It is my hope and prayer that it doesn’t take us 50 years to swing back to a nation united and standing strong in the belief of all peoples coming together to make an indivisible and stellar future for the benefit of everyone.
Contact me at:
antoniasseniormoments@hotmail.com or
antoniasseniormoments@hotmail.com or