Good article Patrick!!
Posted on 06/14/2004 7:06:11 AM PDT by abigail2
Reagan’s Final Lesson
I learned more from Ronald Reagan than from anyone I encountered in all my years of public life. I learned kindness; we all did. I also learned courage; the nation did. -George H. W. Bush
His timing was perfect. Not Ronald Reagan’s timing—God’s.
The Gipper died on a Saturday, and He knows the news cycle better than any of us. It set up a full week dedicated to Reagan’s memory—the early show of love at the Santa Monica funeral home, the body lying in repose for public viewing at the Reagan Library, the flight to D.C. for more viewing, funeral services, culminating in the last homecoming—landing at Pt. Mugu, his hearse and family driving through miles of well-wishers to the final resting place.
All of it played out for America and the world to see—a week-long outpouring of love from ordinary Americans to their President.
The week was a welcome respite from the political haters. But it was so much more than that. It was, first of all, a fantastic history lesson. We saw vintage Reagan, and heard his potent words.
The week obliterated the revisionists’ version of the Reagan years. Some muted their barking—temporarily —but already they are beginning to surge forward again, in all of their glorious ugliness.
The week brought back grace, and humility, and tradition. The choice of music, the poetry, images we’ll never forget—the riderless horse, the missing-man formation. And religion—old and pure and true.
The heart broke and broke and broke some more. Bittersweet. The mourning of one of the greatest men of ours or any time. And the celebration of a life lived with such moral clarity and panache!
When it was all done, when the Gipper was through conspiring with the Big Guy to wrench every possible bit of inspiration, drama, pathos, and even humor out of the final act up on that hill in Simi Valley, the sun set a brilliant California red on cue, and Nancy’s tears—and ours—could no longer hold back. He was gone.
It has been pondered by many and asked by some—what did we witness, the burial of the America we knew and so loved, or it’s rebirth?
It is related to a question I asked myself as I looked at Nancy this week. “Ronnie” was everything to her. He was, understandably, her world, and it left her with the setting of the sun Friday evening.
Nancy ’s great challenge will be to expand her world. And so it is our challenge too. Ronald Reagan was indeed a great man, particularly because of his great love. He was not an idol for us to worship, but an example for us to follow.
This is the great lesson of Reagan. And I believe that our Father placed him here on earth to lead this country during one of its darkest periods. And He decided to take him home—publicly—in the midst of another critical moment in our history, when once again our faith wavers. For just as Reagan faced down a great evil in Soviet Communism, our nation must now face another painful truth and gird its loins against a new evil, the evil of radical Islam.
The great sage Sun Tzu once said that “if you know the enemy and yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles.” This past week has given America the opportunity to again know itself, through the life of America ’s favorite son. It has also given our current President the opportunity to meditate on this knowledge, and the true identity and nature of our enemy.
The Berlin Wall did not come down until President Reagan boldly identified and called out the enemy. And in this present crisis, the wall of terror will not fall until we accurately identify and call out this enemy—by name.
The time has now come for us to wipe away our tears and seek the truth among the silence. For ultimately, we are not here to merely bury and praise the dead, but rather to learn from their exquisite example, and to make it our own.
©2004 Patrick Rooney
Patrick Rooney is the Director of Special Projects at BOND, the Brotherhood Organization of A New Destiny, a nonprofit organization dedicated to “Rebuilding the Family By Rebuilding the Man.”
For more information, please visit www.bondinfo.org, call 1-800-411-BOND (2663), or write to patrick@bondinfo.org.
Good article Patrick!!
I am a 49 year old Armed Forces veteran and a 22 year veteran police officer. I have experienced much. Always standing strong in the face of danger, always keeping emotions in check. Last night I was reduced to tears. Never have I felt such a combination of sorrow, pride and patriotism. Ronald Reagan was my hero. He was one I looked up to as the model of what a man is and should be. The outpouring of love from this great nation was tremendous. Ronald Reagan, The Gipper will live on in my heart forever! God bless America. And God bless a woman who will forever in my heart be America's first lady, Nancy Reagan.
You're so right, I cry easily though, so you can imagine how the week was for me! LOL! Patrick is right! The timing can only be described as divine!! THank you for your input...
One last look at the week that was....
"I, Ronald Reagan, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim and declare the unalienable personhood of every American, from the moment of conception until natural death, and I do proclaim, ordain, and declare that I will take care that the Constitution and laws of the United States are faithfully executed for the protection of America's unborn children." - Presidential Proclamation, Jan. 14, 1988
Sadly, America has moved away from President Reagan's principled, moral, Constitutional position. In our wanderings, is it possible to return to his vision when the media whores are pushing a deathcult mentality incessantly? Eisenhower warned of the military-industrial complex. Our greatest enemy today--after the seditious democrat party--is the leftist lying liberal democrat agenda promoting media cabal. The People have lost their discernment and follow the media lies like sheep passing for review before the hungry wolves.
I've cried all week and Friday night, I just lost it in front of the TV at the sunset service for President Reagan and just when I didn't think I could cry one more tear - I'm sitting here once again crying. Thank you for this article and here's hoping that the American public - all of us - will see the lesson of President Reagan's life and seek to be as good, gentle and kind hearted and strong in the face of the enemy as he was.
No more "religion of peace"???
We learn now that his indecision and dithering about his V.P. is because, even until last week, he's been hoping for the P.R. coup of getting McCain to join his ticket. Not that this would save either of them, but Kerry is so desperate that he's grasping at straws. Now he'll have to look upon the slim choices he's got within his own party and finally make a decision. Since he's only got a couple of bounces left, he's delaying the V.P. announcement until early July (and maybe later). This is foolishness. He would greatly benefit with another voice to counter-attack with--but Kerry just can't make up his mind.
Don't despair...Reagan wouldn't.
Nancy ’s great challenge will be to expand her world. And so it is our challenge too. Ronald Reagan was indeed a great man, particularly because of his great love. He was not an idol for us to worship, but an example for us to follow.
Yesterday here in Bangor, the heart of enemy territory, they had a nice little Flag Day ceremony and even the socialists that run this place felt obligated to include a tribute to RR.
He'll be remembered and written of long after punks like Clinton are gone for good.
OH! I love that picture!!! Thank you...
I believe the past week of events (planned out long ago) was Ronald Reagan's parting gift to our nation. The overwhelming response of love and gratitude shown can only inspire the young for the future.
http://img59.photobucket.com/albums/v180/helograd/
Bump!
Bump.
They are great...thanks.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.