Light/Breezes

Light/Breezes
SUNRISE AT DEATH VALLEY-Photo by Tom Cochrun

Tuesday, November 22, 2011

A DAY THE WORLD CHANGED

NOVEMBER 22
LOSING LIONS
1963.  Senior year of high school. The bulletin
came before our last class of the day, sociology.
Stunned as we filed into the class room, no one spoke, a few were in tears. Teacher Wendell Roberts, usually at his desk, was not there.  A kid, a member 
of Young Americans for Freedom and a Goldwater supporter
went to the chalk board and wrote Revolt!
Roberts walked into the classroom, saw the board and asked who did it. The kid lifted his hand.
Roberts moved to the boy's desk, grabbed him by the collar
and walked him into the hall.
That was how the emotional and tragic weekend began for me.
I was stringing for the Indianapolis Times and our 
high school basketball game with a southern Indiana team was not, like most, cancelled.  I covered the game and called in the score.  A kid by the name of Kennedy scored a lot of points.
JFK was young, dynamic and he engaged a generation.
Politics and government was no longer the province
of only gray men.
I couldn't believe that he, or any American President
could be gunned down, not in modern America.
The world changed that day in ways we would not 
understand for years.
CS Lewis
Pretty much lost to history is that Author CS Lewis passed away on that same November 22, his death overshadowed by the assassination of Kennedy.  My appreciation for Lewis came later.  He was one of the 20th Centuries most remarkable thinkers as well as writers. Most know him
for the Narnia Chronicles.  He wrote and lectured volumes
of more important work; philosophy, classical scholarship,
theology and adult literature.
In the halls of history, Lewis touched and will touch and will have more influence than the man whose passing eclipsed news of his own.
And on this November 22nd I sadly note the 
passing of Ann Dennis, our neighbor on
the ridge top.  She was a gracious, vibrant community activist and leader.  Lana saw her yesterday as she
was leaving to teach a stretch class at the community 
center.  Ann was 92, perhaps 93.  It was never 
polite to ask. Her wonderful smile was ageless.
DAY BOOK
MORNING LIGHT &
RAINBOWS



SOMEWHERE, OVER






See you down the trail.

1 comment:

  1. Spectacular photos.

    I saw an interview recently with Dan Rather. He was asked how today's media would have treated JFK. He paused, then said "I think they would have torn him apart."

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