I cannot believe how quiet it is. I think that is a great signal of respect in this rowdy country of ours.
I am sure people have probably mentioned this earlier on this thread but this reminds me of kennedy- for those of you that lived that funeral how does this compare?
LOOK at all of the people. Wow. I can't wait for the flyover- exactly right for a man that loved the military.
FLYOVER!!
Fly-By time!!!!
Fewer open microphones for Kennedy. Nation was in shock. Very somber.
This proceeding is and should be different. Sorrow? Sure. I'm bawling. BUt also happy memories, and an example of how to live, and request to emulate the example, left by the deceased.
I was 12 when Kennedy was assassinated....and watched just about everything afterward.....TOTALLY different because he was murdered, had young children...it was more about what COULD HAVE BEEN.....THIS is a celebration of WHAT RONALD REAGAN IS and WAS.
I was a 10 yr old then, growing up in DC. We went to the funeral procession. My memory isn't very good for the whole thing, but I do remember the riderless horse (which I found scary), the caisson, and someone lifting me up to stand on the base of a statue so I could see better. It was freezing. I don't remember if we dressed up (since people are making comments about the viewers' clothes).
I do recall crying a lot while watching tv, but thinking about it today, I think I was just carried away with the moment. I was really too young to have much feeling for Kennedy as a person, except, because I went to a Catholic school, we all felt bad because he was a Catholic.
Fast forward many years later and I'm in a chat room and meet a guy from Britain who played the bagpipes in the procession!
I wish I was back in DC now so I could go to the Capitol. Man, I'd love to participate in this.
Kennedy's funeral was 41 years ago. I will NEVER get the sound of the drumbeat and the horses' hooves out of my head. Reagan's procession was a tribute to a life well lived; Kennedy's to a life cut short. The shock and grief then was overwhelming--a totally different feel to the procession.