President Kennedy--Remembering November 22, 1963

"Mom called," my best friend, Marla, told me. We didn't have school that day, so I was visiting her at her house, a huge farm. Her parents were at work. I loved going there with all the animals. She had a huge black horse, Gypsy, and a little pony. We usually rode the pony together and would laugh so hard we'd fall off.

I was eating a snack in the kitchen when Marla returned from the phone call. "Why's she checking up on us? To make sure the house isn't a wreck?" I giggled. We were teen-agers, but responsible girls. I knew her mom would never worry about us. The phone call was unusual.

I noticed Marla's eyes were full of worry. "She said to turn on the TV. The President's been shot."

At that moment my world was turned upside down. President Kennedy had been shot? How was that possible? He had a ton of Secret Service men guarding him. He was popular and had a beautiful family. Who would do such a thing?

We turned on the TV and listened in horror as the events unfolded in front of our eyes. We cried as we watched the horrible pictures showing his limousine race away to the Dallas hospital. Surely this was a scene from a movie. Not reality. Nothing could happen to our president. But, sadly we were wrong. Mr. Kennedy was pronounced dead about 1:30 that afternoon. Marla and I sat in front of the TV in shock.

The whole country was in shock. The events that followed his death were unimaginable. The man who shot him, Lee Harvey Oswald, was captured, then murdered in the police station by Jack Ruby, a saloon owner. 

To this day there are many questions about the events that occurred on November 22, 1963.  

I admired Mrs. Kennedy. Her strength and grace during this life-changing time helped all Americans and citizens of the world face this tragedy and deal with the grief. 

Mr. Kennedy in his short time in office made a difference in the world. He should not be remembered for how he died, but for his contribution to the office of the President of the United States of America and to the betterment of our country.