Remembering: 1963 - 2001

People and connections happen in my life all the time. The emotional connections with the US are very real.

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1963
I was 12 years old and in grade 7 when President Kennedy died. I immediately became interested in all things Kennedy related and this has stayed with me until today.

I did visit Washington and went to Arlington Cemetery and saw the eternal flame.

The picture book has mostly black and white pictures which is usual for that time. The event also lends itself to the lack of colour.

I was much aware when rereading William Manchester’s book of the people involved and how many shed tears. Maybe I did not notice this so much at my previous readings of the book.

The two children were so young but even so Caroline reached out to her mom a few times to comfort her. Of course there is the image of her and her mom kneeling by the coffin and Caroline reaching underneath to get closer. Then John Jr. saluting as they left the cathedral after the funeral mass.

There is an image in the video - found in all its parts on Youtube - where Jackie and Caroline and John Jr. and Robert are walking up the steps to the Capitol Building. Now Caroline is the only one in the group still alive - both her brother and her uncle died too young.


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1976
I was working in Ottawa and had just finished two years into my career. My dad had died a year earlier. In June I went on my first retreat - more about that in another posting.

Trips to the US have been part of my life as long as I can remember. The first trip was when I was two. The latest was with my sister and brother-in-law when we took a day trip for shopping and eating.

My mom and aunt took family trips to be seashore and at that time the trip took much longer. My mom’s sister and her husband always lived closer to the border. Now Kathi does in BC. She used to travel frequently across there but since the events of 2011 and more government red tape - that does not happen.

There is a wonderful coffee table book with pictures and stories about the Canadian American border. It was a gift from Canada for the US bicentennial in 1976. My copy had belonged to my mom.

One of the quotes in the book:
“Geography has made us neighbours. History has made us friends.”
(John F. Kennedy)

*****

2001
My mom was still alive when this all happened. She was watching the television as everyone else was.


That is the book that was written about Canadian reaction after 9/11 and how we helped out our American neighbours. The 10th anniversary is coming up this year - where does the time go?


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So I went to the Library of Congress catalogue to find the exact title except for the film which I found on the Internet Movie Database.


The death of a president, November 20-November 25, 1963, by William Manchester

Four days; the historical record of the death of President Kennedy, compiled by United Press International and American heritage magazine.

Four Days in November (1964 film)

Between friends = Entre amis / produced by the National Film Board of Canada, Still Photography Division.

A diary between friends.