I can count a few events in my life that were truly newsworthy (and by newsworthy I mean worth sitting in front of the TV for hours gathering all the information possible). Imagine trying to explain this to a five year-old. I recounted these events to her last night. Being from Irish ancestry, I am a firm believer in story-telling.
1980--President Reagan was shot. It impressed me at the young age of five because it was near the same time as my birthday.
1986--January. Spaceshuttle Discovery exploded. Important because as a 5th grader, we were watching as teacher Krista McAuliffe went into space for the first time.
1991--Desert Storm/Desert Shield--we watched this amazing CNN coverage for hours as it unfolded on live television right in the library of our school. It was almost like watching a live game of Space Invaders. Fear and uncertainty settled with us for the first time as young people. We just thought that Middle East business was over...
2001--Sept 11. Need I say more? 
How many days were we glued to our televisions that week?
How many days were we glued to our televisions that week?2003--The taking of Baghdad in Iraq. Seeing the oversized statue of Huessein toppling to the ground filled me with a renewed hope for our future as a strong nation.
2005--April. Pope John Paul II was the only Pope I ever knew, though there have been a bajillion of them in 2000 years, starting with Peter as the first. I was deeply affected by his passing,
even though it was a beautiful death. My first concern became who would be the successor, much as we worry on the eve of an election. Seeing the way a new Pope was chosen was special because it isn't something that happens often.2005--Hurricane Katrina. Devastating to the South East as a region for many obvious reasons, and an eye-opener on 
a national level--and despite all, are we really ready? And my daughter, who has seen Evan Almighty, her first concern was for the animals affected by the flood!
a national level--and despite all, are we really ready? And my daughter, who has seen Evan Almighty, her first concern was for the animals affected by the flood!As a nine year-old, I had posters of Michael Jackson on my wall. I had a copy of Thriller, and still do. I knew all of the words to his songs, and dressed like him at Halloween--the glove, the socks--you remember. As his career went on, he grew strange to me. No matter his eccentricities, he still deserved his place in pop culture as the King of Pop.
Perhaps the hardest thing to me last night was hearing statements and reactions from his family. Marlon's daughter comes into the room in her Georgia home and says, "Dad! There's saying Uncle Mike is dead!" Put yourself in her shoes, or Marlon's.
All this in the wake of my own understanding that at 34 years of age I am on blood pressure medication. With two little girls, I begin to wonder what will my legacy be?
2 comments:
I often wonder what my legacy will be. When I'm gone, will life move on with not much more than a ripple in that steady flowing stream? Will anyone noticed overmuch? Have I touched any lives in a permanent, long-lasting, 'forever' way. Most of the time, I feel not.
Your blog is very thoughtful and well written!
Good post. It was the Challenger that exploded in 85... I was sitting in Mrs. Wikel's class, when another teacher came by and said, "Attention, the space shuttle just exploded. There is a telecast of the news in the lunchroom set up. If you would like to follow the news, please come with me." I went to the lunchroom, watched the news. It was surreal.
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