Passing of an era or changing of the guard?

[nolawitch58]

When Ted Kennedy died a few days ago, I didn't expect to be particularly moved by this great public loss. At first, I gauged the sheer amount of political capital liberals had lost and what that boded in terms of upcoming Senate business. Last evening while watching CSPAN's coverage of what turned out to be more of an Irish wake, it hit me. The bright hope I felt in childhood for this country's progress stemmed largely from the Kennedy clan. The last link I perceived to this hope was now gone.

As I watched CSPAN and listened to story after story of a man who by all rights could have spent his life engaged in superficial personal pursuits due to his family's money yet he worked largely for the public good, I understood where my hope had been nurtured. Someone on the Washington Post comment page mentioned that the Kennedys didn't have to extend themselves to public service. They could have been like any other wealthy family and concerned themselves only with enriching themselves further and private philanthropies. Something in their family culture, be it Joseph Kennedy Senior's ambition or something more fundamentally pure, spurs them to look past their own interests to protect society's interests. They actually seem to live the Spiderman dictum that with great power comes great responsibility.

When Caroline Kennedy stepped to the podium, tears welled in my eyes as I remembered witnessing my first public tragedy and her part in it. As a little girl, I watched the little girl that she was and her little brother bury a man who was not just a nation's president but also their father. I think some of my earliest tastes of empathy came from sitting in front of the Sylvania TV grieving with her as I knew how awful I would have felt at losing my own beloved daddy. What strength that family displays despite the myriad tragedies they have suffered.

Over the years, I have made every effort to harden my heart and barricade some emotions behind a dam. Joy and anger were safe, but grief and empathy could only be experienced on an intellectual level. The dam seems breached, perhaps in part in response to the anniversary of Hurricane Katrina. As I type, wave after wave of weeping wash over me, connecting a river of tears flowing from remembrance of sudden loss of a handsome, young president and the promise of his administration.

Dare I rekindle the hope and dry the tears? Interspersed with the stories of Ted's exploits with sailboats and singing, we looked at clips hmc_lavadogs recorder earlier of his grandkids. They were poised and seemed possessed of that same Kennedy outward focus. They seemed unlike so many kids their ages, not bratty or selfish at all. Even though the numbers of his progeny dismayed me, at least they weren't insular and narcissistic like a lot of other celebrity broods. Time will tell if they ascend to the challenge of their forebears' heritage.

In the meantime, this day's anniversary affords me only this slight reflection. Otherwise, there is a Saints preseason game to watch and a chapter of Ruxandra to work on. I do hope it rains, though. It's hot a muggy as it was four years ago and the feeder bands began moving in. We who live here never have to remember; we can never forget.

Comments

[saminz.livejournal.com]

{{{nolawitch}}}

I am very impressed by your title.

May it be possible...

[voxwoman.livejournal.com]

We have Danny offshore now (although I am not convinced the rain here is from that storm, but from a front coming in from the West - it's cool here today, tropical storms are warm!) it's been raining here for 3 days. I'm glad all the named storms we've had so far have stayed in the Atlantic.

I've been avoiding live broadcasts, like I've been for the past 8 years. I got a lot of the Ted Kennedy legacy from NPR on the radio the day he died.

I hope there are people who can take up his baton and continue working for the public good.

(I still have the "recalled" National Lampoon Encyclopedia of Humor with the VW ad in it, that sported the slogan "If Ted Kennedy had driven a Volkswagen, he'd be President today.")

[seamusd.livejournal.com]

Well said. Well said.