jfk and family – the ones who i thought were my cousins

(a reblog from 10 years ago)

being born a kennedy, for as long as i can remember, i assumed that the other kennedys were just cousins who lived out east. when the killing of jfk happened, 50 years ago, (now 60 years), i had just turned 6, only 4 days before. i was in first grade and i remember being called in from recess and all of the adults were crying. that was the day i found out that i was not actually a cousin, and that people could die from things other than being very, very old.  it was one of those days when my world changed forever.

my kennedy family

“the essential self is innocent, and when it tastes its own innocence knows that it lives forever. “

-john updike