He led us in defeating the Evil Empire
Relighting the economic pilot light
Remembering that we are a great nation--
And we still have an appointment with destiny.
Posted on 06/07/2004 9:51:26 PM PDT by Sabertooth
I just got back from the Reagan Library a couple of hours ago, to pay final respects to President Reagan. The scene is crowded, but orderly. I went with my daughter, and our wait in line was a couple of hours for the shuttle from Moorpark Junior College. The line looked to be twice as long when we got back, snaking down the back lawn of the campus
Quite a few folks brought kids, which I think is a great thing. Not only was President Reagan immensely fond of children, his memorial will forever be a touchstone in their lives. It's important, I think, to convey to children early on that they are a part of History.
For this reason more than anything, I wanted to attend for my daughter’s sake. She's sixteen, and once when she was eight she got to spend about 15 minutes one-on-one with President Reagan at his office in Century City. He was the kindest, most genial man imaginable. So, I wanted her to have the chance to say good-bye, and thank you.
As our shuttle bus turned past the sign at the entrance to the Reagan Library, we saw the mounds of flowers and many American Flags planted there by the President’s mourners. On the street lamp on the opposite corner was a banner with a portrait of George Washington. More portraits gazed at us through time as we made our way up the winding hill -- Adams, Jefferson, Madison, Monroe – every President that ever served this great nation. Simple streetlamp banners serving notice that we were making our way through History up to that little “City on the Hill” that is the Reagan Library.
At the top of the hill there is a rocky peak above and adjacent to the library, where we saw a white easy-up tent and Secret Service men stationed as sentries. My daughter and I got off our bus and filed into the main courtyard, where a mighty bronze eagle holds a bronzed Old Glory in his talons. The eagle is perched on a pedestal made of red granite, white marble, and what I took to be blue lapis lazuli, arranged in stars and stripes. The top rim of the pedestal is inlaid with brass plaques reproducing the signatures of the men who signed the U.S. Constitution. History made tangible.
As we entered the Library’s Main Lobby where the President was lying in repose, across the hall from us one white-haired old soldier paused as he was leaving. He saluted one last time to his fallen Commander in Chief and brother-in-arms against the great tyrannies of the Twentieth Century.
There was a solemn majesty to seeing the President's flag-draped casket, watched over by a motionless Color Guard. My daughter teared up, and I found myself touched by the simple, yet mythic nature of the moment, much like that of the man himself. For before me lay a warrior at peace, a hero who had changed the world for all of us, called home and called to merciful rest by his Creator.
The world has changed once again with his passing.
I was born in 1988 and I never had the honor to see all the great things he did when he was in office. But I've read alot of books about him and have seen alot of specials on TV about him. My parents have also told me about him too,and I have learnd that he was one of the best presidents we ever had! He made America belive in it's self again, he destoyed the Soviet Union, leading to the fall of the Berlin Wall, he cut taxes with his tax cuts, he strengthened the military,and limited the goverment. He also made the Republican Party the way it is to day. Before him the party was always down each other's throats and getting no where. But than he made the party more conservative, made spending on defence a republican issue, made tax cuts a republican issue too. In fact, President Reagan and Barry Goldwater made the republican party conservative. Also I've seen some of the speeches he gave and thay are very powerful and his voice is so warm and convincing, so fatherly like. He really deserved the nickname of the Great Communicator. I also would like to say that President Reagan really makes me prond of my country when he went to Berlin and told Govachov to "tear down this wall" meaning The Berlin Wall. He wasn't afraid to tell the soviets of what he thought of them, and in that speech when he told Gorbachev to tear down the Berlin Wall, his speech writers told him that it wasn't a good idea to say "tear down this wall", but he didn't care what they said and he said it and pepole loved it!vvFinaly I would like to say that President Reagan is one of my all time idols, next to my dad,vPresident Bush(43)and President Eisenhower and If I'm lucky, some day I will grow-up to be at least half the man he once was!
We sure do.
Great Reply.
It is interesting how the mediots have avoided his use of English when he described the USSR as the Evil Empire.
Those two words drove the mediots into a rage when President Reagan said them for the first time, and they still get in a rage when they are repeated.
Thanks for sharing with us.
Your daughter is a very fortunate young lady.
Very nice picture Phil. He had his appointment with destiny and is in a better place now.
How nice that you were able to go and take your daughter Saber. I wish I could have, but in the middle of packing to move, so we couldn't go. I have to be there through the eyes of other freepers who were and take the time to tell us about it. Thanks.
Lovely, lovely tribute. Thanks for sharing!
Your description of his library is the first I've read. Now I can put his resting place in a visual memory.
What was the occassion of your daughter's 'one-on-one' with RWR?
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