Good-Bye President Reagan

Ronald Reagan was the first President I ever knew. I know, technically, Jimmy Carter was President for the first two years of my life, but Reagan is the first President I remember. When I was a little boy and was told that here in America I had the ability to be anyone when I grew up, even the President, Ronald Reagan was the one who came to mind.

Although I was rather young during his presidency, and wasn’t all too knowledgeable on the way the government or the world worked, I did watch the evening news most nights with my dad. I really can’t say what it was that interested me about world events that I didn’t really understand, but there I would sit and study our little 20 inch TV screen and attempt to make my own assessment on the state of the world as I tried to take its pulse.

One thing I remember about President Reagan is how listening to him speak was almost hypnotizing, at least for me. His voice was a bit raspy, yet solid. The way he spoke about things had me convinced that he was always right and always knew what he was talking about.

I was raised to be an American boy. My mom spent her childhood growing up on Air Force bases and my dad had done time in the Air Force. His half-brothers, the youngest of whom was 16 years older than him, were almost all military men and a few of them had fought in Vietnam.

As far back as I can remember I was taught about Americans fought for independence. I was taught how we were the first nation in history to try, and succeed, at the form of government that we live under. I was taught of the sacrifices that were made by tens of thousands of people who came before me, and was raised to appreciate that.

And Ronald Reagan was the leader of this great country that I was raised to love.

Although I was only about three years old, one of the first images of him that I remember is when he was shot. I remember how my parents were shocked beyond words and we sat glued to the TV. I remember being in first grade when the Challenger exploded during takeoff and I spent the rest of the school day sitting and watching replay after replay, and seeing him give his condolences to the families. I remember how he wouldn’t negotiate with terrorists, how he tried to scale back government (although at the time I had no clue what that entailed), and lots of other things.

To be honest, until today I never really thought about how much of an impact President Reagan had on me. Yet I was a little kid and he was my first leader, and somehow his image and personality and striving to do what was right and what was best for the country, was imprinted on me. In my mind, he is what all Presidents after him have had to live up to.

Although it’s very unlikely (kind of like me winning the lottery), perhaps I’ll do what as a little boy I was convinced was possible. Maybe someday I can attempt to fill the shoes that were left empty by him when he left.

“In closing let me thank you, the American people, for giving me the great honor of allowing me to serve as your president. When the Lord calls me home, whenever that may be, I will leave with the greatest love for this country of ours and eternal optimism for its future. I now begin the journey that will lead me into the sunset of my life. I know that for America there will always be a bright dawn ahead.” – President Ronald Reagan-Nov. 5, 1994, announcing he had Alzheimer’s disease.