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Recently I was contacted by some old classmates to join a reunion committee
for our eighth grade graduating class. I immediately said yes, and we met for dinner
at a small place in Conshohocken. The meeting lasted a couple of hours, and it
probably could have went all night. We had such a good time talking and reminiscing
about the old neighborhood, all the different people, the nuns and the one teacher we had. I can't believe we were finally able to set a date and finalize details.
It has been fifty years since that grade school graduation, the year started off in the fall of 1963. Less than three months into the journey our world was shattered by the
assassination of President Kennedy. We knew then our lives had been changed. All of
a sudden it seemed like we were sucked into a vortex spinning out of control. Three months later, we were caught up in the tumultuous frenzy of the " British " invasion,
led by the Beatles. Our knowledge of what we thought was music was completely
changed. I have to admit, to me it was for the better, I can spend hours listening to
the Beatles, even to this very day. In the spring of that same year the civil rights
movement started to take root in America, and we were bombarded by horrific images
on our television screens of defenseless black Americans being hanged, or having fire hoses turned on them, or being beaten by police wielding "billy clubs ". There was also the matter of a small conflict that was starting to escalate in Southeast Asia.
Viet Nam was in the beginning stages of the next "hot spot" for the United States.
Through all this we somehow managed to carry on with our goal of finishing our
elementary education so we could take that next step to high school.
Since the reunion meeting, I have been assigned to look up the graduates from that class. Some I have seen and been in touch with all these years. Quite a few I am sorry to say have passed away. Others , thanks to the invention of social media, I have been able to contact. The one constant I have found in everyone I have talked to, is they all
remember those days and they all have a strong bonding to the members of the class.
I will admit there are a few exceptions.
The reunion will bring us together, in a physical sense, but as I talk to my former
classmates I get the feeling that they have not forgotten, who we were, and how those times made an impression on our lives. Most of all for better or worse, we have a strong sense of kinship. We will always be a part of each other's memories, and
how those formidable times changed our lives.
Sunday, June 22, 2014
Wednesday, November 20, 2013
Friday, 1963
It was a sunny and crisp autumn day that November. I, like most of the kids in my
neighborhood was home having lunch. In those days Mom liked to listen to the radio
for enjoyment while she did her normal chores around the house. In between music and commercials there would be maybe five to ten minutes of news, weather and sports. This was long before 24 hour news like today. The top story I remember hearing was the President and Mrs. Kennedy had arrived in Dallas, Texas for a
political fund raising trip. Soon the music came back on and it was time to head back to school. Almost all of us lived within walking distance, and we had time for some touch football before the bell rang and we went back into the classroom. I was just getting settled in for Sister William's class when we heard and saw Mother Superior
at the classroom door. Her and Sister William had a short conversation and you could tell right away something was wrong. I wondered who was going to be in trouble now ! Sister William started to speak and her voice started to tremble. The President has been shot. Children please bow your heads and pray for him. Sister tried to answer our questions but she was overcome with emotion. We were told we would be let out of school shortly and to go home and pray for the President. I seem to remember that
there was complete silence among all the students, not just in our class but throughout the school. I ran home as fast as I could and turned on the TV. My Mom had tears in her eyes and sat down with me as we watched Walter Cronkite give us as much information as he had at the time. Someone handed Mr. Cronkite a piece of paper, and I vividly remember him reading it to himself, then removing his glasses and wiping away tears, then he said President Kennedy has died at sometime after 1 p.m. this afternoon Dallas time. There was complete silence for good while.
That whole weekend was spent with the TV on watching the news about the events surrounding the assassination. I tried to occupy myself to take my mind off of
what happened, but I could not. I was afraid, what is going to happen next? Could we end up going to war? It had only been a year since the Cuban Missile Crises. Many thoughts were going through my head. The only solace I could find was to pray. Pray that God would help us all find away to get through this difficult time.
I was too young to know anything about the President's politics or his agenda, all I know is he and his wife projected a vitality and strength and gracefulness that made me proud to be an American. President Kennedy was a shining example for any young man my age, to emulate. As I got older and read and heard stories about him, it removed some of the luster on his image, but I still respect and admire him even till this day.
November 22, 1963 is a day that I will never forget, not only for what happened to the President, but also a lesson my Father taught me while talking about the assassination that weekend. Never presume that things will suddenly fall apart because
you are not there. Everyone is replaceable. Our President was killed but the country did not stop. Life goes on. Enjoy life while you can because you never know when your time will come.
neighborhood was home having lunch. In those days Mom liked to listen to the radio
for enjoyment while she did her normal chores around the house. In between music and commercials there would be maybe five to ten minutes of news, weather and sports. This was long before 24 hour news like today. The top story I remember hearing was the President and Mrs. Kennedy had arrived in Dallas, Texas for a
political fund raising trip. Soon the music came back on and it was time to head back to school. Almost all of us lived within walking distance, and we had time for some touch football before the bell rang and we went back into the classroom. I was just getting settled in for Sister William's class when we heard and saw Mother Superior
at the classroom door. Her and Sister William had a short conversation and you could tell right away something was wrong. I wondered who was going to be in trouble now ! Sister William started to speak and her voice started to tremble. The President has been shot. Children please bow your heads and pray for him. Sister tried to answer our questions but she was overcome with emotion. We were told we would be let out of school shortly and to go home and pray for the President. I seem to remember that
there was complete silence among all the students, not just in our class but throughout the school. I ran home as fast as I could and turned on the TV. My Mom had tears in her eyes and sat down with me as we watched Walter Cronkite give us as much information as he had at the time. Someone handed Mr. Cronkite a piece of paper, and I vividly remember him reading it to himself, then removing his glasses and wiping away tears, then he said President Kennedy has died at sometime after 1 p.m. this afternoon Dallas time. There was complete silence for good while.
That whole weekend was spent with the TV on watching the news about the events surrounding the assassination. I tried to occupy myself to take my mind off of
what happened, but I could not. I was afraid, what is going to happen next? Could we end up going to war? It had only been a year since the Cuban Missile Crises. Many thoughts were going through my head. The only solace I could find was to pray. Pray that God would help us all find away to get through this difficult time.
I was too young to know anything about the President's politics or his agenda, all I know is he and his wife projected a vitality and strength and gracefulness that made me proud to be an American. President Kennedy was a shining example for any young man my age, to emulate. As I got older and read and heard stories about him, it removed some of the luster on his image, but I still respect and admire him even till this day.
November 22, 1963 is a day that I will never forget, not only for what happened to the President, but also a lesson my Father taught me while talking about the assassination that weekend. Never presume that things will suddenly fall apart because
you are not there. Everyone is replaceable. Our President was killed but the country did not stop. Life goes on. Enjoy life while you can because you never know when your time will come.
Sunday, June 16, 2013
Father's Day
Today is Father's day, a day we honor those who helped nurture us when we were young. What is a Father or the more common term Dad. There is no program or class
to show a man how to be a Dad. Many can father a child, but so many have failed at being a Father or Dad. I think of my Dad often, he has been gone from this earth almost twenty years. Was he a good Father or Dad? He had been on his own since he was seven years old. His Father died and in those days it was hard to keep a family together. He and his brothers were sent to a farm to live and work because his Mother couldn't afford to keep the family together. In those days the government didn't pay a woman to have more children, there was no welfare, it was fend for yourself. I remember him telling stories of how he and his brothers were treated, he said they ran away everyday, only to be sent back because they had to work. There were no child labor laws then , they were cheap labor.
How did this young boy with this very tough childhood learn how to be a Father?
Maybe he decided he would not let his sons grow up in the same environment he endured. He wasn't very educated, very little formal schooling, but he seemed to know everything. Whenever there was a family crisis, he was the steady ship's captain. He never let us see his emotions. How he must have felt when my Mom was sick with a lung disease and he had four mouths to feed, two of us under the age of two. My younger brother had just been born, only eighteen months after me. He was able to handle it all, going to work, visiting the hospital and making sure we were provided for. I never heard him complain. No one taught him what to do when events in the family did not go as planned. Somehow he knew what had to be done.
My Father taught me so many things in life. He showed me more by example than by word. His family was the most important thing in his life. Not just our immediate family but also his birth family. He had many brothers and a couple of step-brothers
also sisters and step-sisters. I remember him always having them over for visits or us getting in the car and visiting them. I knew he had a love for all of them. I remember how he cried when Uncle Rudy died. Rudy was a step-brother, but in my Dad's eyes
there was no step.
Take the time today to appreciate your Dad. Remember there is no school for fatherhood. If your Dad taught you one thing in your life that you have used to make your children better people, than you are very lucky.
If like me, your Dad has left a lasting impression on you, and you miss him everyday than he has earned the title "FATHER".
to show a man how to be a Dad. Many can father a child, but so many have failed at being a Father or Dad. I think of my Dad often, he has been gone from this earth almost twenty years. Was he a good Father or Dad? He had been on his own since he was seven years old. His Father died and in those days it was hard to keep a family together. He and his brothers were sent to a farm to live and work because his Mother couldn't afford to keep the family together. In those days the government didn't pay a woman to have more children, there was no welfare, it was fend for yourself. I remember him telling stories of how he and his brothers were treated, he said they ran away everyday, only to be sent back because they had to work. There were no child labor laws then , they were cheap labor.
How did this young boy with this very tough childhood learn how to be a Father?
Maybe he decided he would not let his sons grow up in the same environment he endured. He wasn't very educated, very little formal schooling, but he seemed to know everything. Whenever there was a family crisis, he was the steady ship's captain. He never let us see his emotions. How he must have felt when my Mom was sick with a lung disease and he had four mouths to feed, two of us under the age of two. My younger brother had just been born, only eighteen months after me. He was able to handle it all, going to work, visiting the hospital and making sure we were provided for. I never heard him complain. No one taught him what to do when events in the family did not go as planned. Somehow he knew what had to be done.
My Father taught me so many things in life. He showed me more by example than by word. His family was the most important thing in his life. Not just our immediate family but also his birth family. He had many brothers and a couple of step-brothers
also sisters and step-sisters. I remember him always having them over for visits or us getting in the car and visiting them. I knew he had a love for all of them. I remember how he cried when Uncle Rudy died. Rudy was a step-brother, but in my Dad's eyes
there was no step.
Take the time today to appreciate your Dad. Remember there is no school for fatherhood. If your Dad taught you one thing in your life that you have used to make your children better people, than you are very lucky.
If like me, your Dad has left a lasting impression on you, and you miss him everyday than he has earned the title "FATHER".
Monday, October 29, 2012
Election Time
In a few days we as Americans will be going to the polls to elect candidates for
higher office. It is something I believe we should all take pride in doing. It is our
right and our duty as good citizens.
What makes me upset about the election process is the media and the politicians have split the country. It is almost impossible to find an unbiased point of view about each of the candidates. Television channels and radio stations and periodicals have taken one side or the other in the election process. The media, in my opinion, should present the facts and nothing but the facts. It amazes me how often I read an article or hear on the radio about a story and I only receive part of what really happened in a
certain instance. Many times I see or hear commercials how one candidate or another voted on a particular topic. Unfortunately, they don't present all the facts on why he or she voted the way they did. For example, a bill concerning increases or cuts in health
care spending, might have addendums to it. Some add ons might be giving money to a
Senator's state for highway funding, or to build a new stadium. If a candidate votes yes or no you will only hear that he or she voted for or against the health care bill.
You never hear the full reason why.
Most people I know and talk to have a real concern for how things are going in our country. There are also many who believe that their vote does not count. I believe that is wrong. We have to let the media and the politicians know that we all want to work towards one common goal, what is best for our whole country. We want unbiased and fair reporting of all the facts and we want our elected officials to listen to the people and strive to make this a greater nation than it already is.
higher office. It is something I believe we should all take pride in doing. It is our
right and our duty as good citizens.
What makes me upset about the election process is the media and the politicians have split the country. It is almost impossible to find an unbiased point of view about each of the candidates. Television channels and radio stations and periodicals have taken one side or the other in the election process. The media, in my opinion, should present the facts and nothing but the facts. It amazes me how often I read an article or hear on the radio about a story and I only receive part of what really happened in a
certain instance. Many times I see or hear commercials how one candidate or another voted on a particular topic. Unfortunately, they don't present all the facts on why he or she voted the way they did. For example, a bill concerning increases or cuts in health
care spending, might have addendums to it. Some add ons might be giving money to a
Senator's state for highway funding, or to build a new stadium. If a candidate votes yes or no you will only hear that he or she voted for or against the health care bill.
You never hear the full reason why.
Most people I know and talk to have a real concern for how things are going in our country. There are also many who believe that their vote does not count. I believe that is wrong. We have to let the media and the politicians know that we all want to work towards one common goal, what is best for our whole country. We want unbiased and fair reporting of all the facts and we want our elected officials to listen to the people and strive to make this a greater nation than it already is.
Sunday, August 19, 2012
Vacation
Recently I just returned from vacation. The family and I went to Ocean City, N.J. I have always loved going there, it is quiet and family oriented and it seemed like a very nice place to visit. I had a nice time and really enjoyed being with my children and grand-children, but it occurred to me that going there is not what it is cracked up to be.
For starters, we paid an exhorbitant amount for a week's stay. It is inconceiveable to me that people pay , in some instances almost three times their mortgage payment. The house we stayed in was nice, it had four bedrooms, a master bath, multiple TV's,
cable, internet, a washer and drier. The same things I have at home. There are nice restaurants, stores, a playground, and close by, the casinos. The same things I have at home. If you want to go to these places, you have to drive, just like at home. The only difference I can see is Ocean City has the ocean and a beach full of sand. I have a big yard, a deck with an awning and a pool.
People say " its the idea of getting away ". Yes it is true, but when I sit in my yard by my pool, I am away. It is quiet and peaceful, just like the shore and I don't have to fight traffic to get there.
I guess you can say as I get older I get more cynical, I just feel that the shore has really become overpriced and it annoys me to have to finance someone's mortgage payment. What also annoys me is having to pay to use the beach, but that's for another time.
I have been to quite a few vacation spots in my lifetime, and quite a few have been less costlier than the shore. I guess if I still lived in the inner city I would think differently about the shore. I told the family, next year they can come to my house and stay, we can go shopping, go out to dinner, go to the casino, relax by the pool and spend time together. We can all sleep in our own comfortable beds and relax in our own comfortable living rooms.
This blog is just my opinion, I'm sure there our lots of people who love everything about the shore. I do believe though that we are all pressured to go to these vacation spots in order to help their economies, and things are made to appear more attractive than they really are. That however, is how our economic system works. It is after all about making a dollar, and I think the shore practices that very well.
For starters, we paid an exhorbitant amount for a week's stay. It is inconceiveable to me that people pay , in some instances almost three times their mortgage payment. The house we stayed in was nice, it had four bedrooms, a master bath, multiple TV's,
cable, internet, a washer and drier. The same things I have at home. There are nice restaurants, stores, a playground, and close by, the casinos. The same things I have at home. If you want to go to these places, you have to drive, just like at home. The only difference I can see is Ocean City has the ocean and a beach full of sand. I have a big yard, a deck with an awning and a pool.
People say " its the idea of getting away ". Yes it is true, but when I sit in my yard by my pool, I am away. It is quiet and peaceful, just like the shore and I don't have to fight traffic to get there.
I guess you can say as I get older I get more cynical, I just feel that the shore has really become overpriced and it annoys me to have to finance someone's mortgage payment. What also annoys me is having to pay to use the beach, but that's for another time.
I have been to quite a few vacation spots in my lifetime, and quite a few have been less costlier than the shore. I guess if I still lived in the inner city I would think differently about the shore. I told the family, next year they can come to my house and stay, we can go shopping, go out to dinner, go to the casino, relax by the pool and spend time together. We can all sleep in our own comfortable beds and relax in our own comfortable living rooms.
This blog is just my opinion, I'm sure there our lots of people who love everything about the shore. I do believe though that we are all pressured to go to these vacation spots in order to help their economies, and things are made to appear more attractive than they really are. That however, is how our economic system works. It is after all about making a dollar, and I think the shore practices that very well.
Sunday, May 27, 2012
Son
Thirty two years ago my wife and I were blessed with a son. It was the speing of 1980. May 28th to be exact. Where has the time gone. Today, he is married and the father of twin boys. He is smart and articulate and he has a heart as big as his 6' 4" frame.
Since I first took him to work with me, at the auto repair shop, his thirst for knowledge on how machines work was beyond anything I could ever imagine.I have watched him do things with his hands that truly amaze me. He has become proficient in any job he decides to undertake. He has been a waiter, a chef, a construction worker, a swimming pool installer and today he is a mechanical engineer.
How proud of him his mother and I are. He never fails to be there whenever he is
needed. He answers the call from not only us but anyone who even knows him just a little. He is always volunteering himself to assist his friends, whether it is to help them move or to fix a plumbing job. He can always be counted on.
Most importantly, he is a good husband and father. He provides for his family and he places them on a pedestal. A lot of times when we do things together, like small jobs around the house, or helping me with my computer, he talks to me like I am the son. I step back and laugh and think my dad came back from the grave. He is so much like him.
Other times he is like his Mother. Real tough on the outside, but warm and tender on the inside.
He is everything a man could want in a son. He is kind, generous, compassionate, loving, and strong. He is without a doubt a precious gift that was bestowed on his mother and me. We will always be thankful for him. He is truly one of God's gifts to the world. It is a better place because he is in it.
Since I first took him to work with me, at the auto repair shop, his thirst for knowledge on how machines work was beyond anything I could ever imagine.I have watched him do things with his hands that truly amaze me. He has become proficient in any job he decides to undertake. He has been a waiter, a chef, a construction worker, a swimming pool installer and today he is a mechanical engineer.
How proud of him his mother and I are. He never fails to be there whenever he is
needed. He answers the call from not only us but anyone who even knows him just a little. He is always volunteering himself to assist his friends, whether it is to help them move or to fix a plumbing job. He can always be counted on.
Most importantly, he is a good husband and father. He provides for his family and he places them on a pedestal. A lot of times when we do things together, like small jobs around the house, or helping me with my computer, he talks to me like I am the son. I step back and laugh and think my dad came back from the grave. He is so much like him.
Other times he is like his Mother. Real tough on the outside, but warm and tender on the inside.
He is everything a man could want in a son. He is kind, generous, compassionate, loving, and strong. He is without a doubt a precious gift that was bestowed on his mother and me. We will always be thankful for him. He is truly one of God's gifts to the world. It is a better place because he is in it.
Sunday, May 20, 2012
The Wedding
It has been a week since my daughter's wedding. It was at least a year of planning and it seemed like it was over in an instant. I waited all my life to walk her down the aisle, and I was truly blessed to have the chance. The wedding wasn't what I knew as a traditional
ceremony, but it was so beautiful and extravagant right down to the last detail. I can honestly say my daughter has learned her trade very well. All the years she has worked in the wedding business has paid off. Her wedding was something out of a hollywood movie. She had everything scripted right down to the last hors d' ouevers.
The weather on the day of the wedding was beautiful. You couldn't ask for a better day. Blue skies and sunshine, low humidity and the temperature in the low seventys.
That morning I didn't have much to do, I spent the day doing small errands for my wife.
I went into the Village for lunch with my future son-in-law and my son. When we returned, I went and sat down in the gazebo by the water fountain and small pond. It was
cool and relaxing. I took a nice nap. I spent most of my time there reminiscing about Christa and the things we did when she was young. I wouldn't say we had a "Father knows Best" relationship, but there were plenty of times when she came for my advice and of course I gave it. Sometimes she listened and took the advice, other times she didn't. I don't ever remember telling her I told you so.
Soon it was time to get ready and I was allowed to go into her room to see her. I was in awe. She was beautiful. Her life from the time she was born to that very moment flashed before my eyes. The first time I held her, I knew if I never had a dollar I would still be a rich man. After taking some pictures it was time to walk down the aisle. I would like to tell you what I was thinking but my mind was blank. The time I had been waiting for was upon me and I was dumbfounded. A lot of emotion started building inside of me, I thought I was going to cry. When we reached the minister and Charlie, I looked up and noticed Charlie had tears in his eyes. I knew then I couldn't start crying.
I looked at Christa and saw the gleam in her eyes. When the minister said "Who gives this woman" I didn't choke. I said I do. I kissed her on the cheek and shook Charlie's hand, I think I said take care of her she is yours now. I turned and walked to my seat next to my wife and proceeded to watch the ceremony. Christa and Charlie looked so happy, and they look like the perfect couple. I know her heart belongs to someone else now but she will always be part of mine and I will always feel like a rich man when she is around.
ceremony, but it was so beautiful and extravagant right down to the last detail. I can honestly say my daughter has learned her trade very well. All the years she has worked in the wedding business has paid off. Her wedding was something out of a hollywood movie. She had everything scripted right down to the last hors d' ouevers.
The weather on the day of the wedding was beautiful. You couldn't ask for a better day. Blue skies and sunshine, low humidity and the temperature in the low seventys.
That morning I didn't have much to do, I spent the day doing small errands for my wife.
I went into the Village for lunch with my future son-in-law and my son. When we returned, I went and sat down in the gazebo by the water fountain and small pond. It was
cool and relaxing. I took a nice nap. I spent most of my time there reminiscing about Christa and the things we did when she was young. I wouldn't say we had a "Father knows Best" relationship, but there were plenty of times when she came for my advice and of course I gave it. Sometimes she listened and took the advice, other times she didn't. I don't ever remember telling her I told you so.
Soon it was time to get ready and I was allowed to go into her room to see her. I was in awe. She was beautiful. Her life from the time she was born to that very moment flashed before my eyes. The first time I held her, I knew if I never had a dollar I would still be a rich man. After taking some pictures it was time to walk down the aisle. I would like to tell you what I was thinking but my mind was blank. The time I had been waiting for was upon me and I was dumbfounded. A lot of emotion started building inside of me, I thought I was going to cry. When we reached the minister and Charlie, I looked up and noticed Charlie had tears in his eyes. I knew then I couldn't start crying.
I looked at Christa and saw the gleam in her eyes. When the minister said "Who gives this woman" I didn't choke. I said I do. I kissed her on the cheek and shook Charlie's hand, I think I said take care of her she is yours now. I turned and walked to my seat next to my wife and proceeded to watch the ceremony. Christa and Charlie looked so happy, and they look like the perfect couple. I know her heart belongs to someone else now but she will always be part of mine and I will always feel like a rich man when she is around.
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