09 August Happiness Challenge -- Day 26

Thursday. Bipartisan grace. I got home and turned on the news, as I do every day. And, knock me over with a feather, I was treated to Nancy Reagan speaking glowingly about Ted Kennedy! She said the two conferred often regarding health care, specifically stem cell research. Imagine all that could be accomplished if that spirit of bipartisanship could be bottled and shared throughout the House and Senate!

Feeling very Dorothy just now

I'm not sad this morning

… about the passing of Ted Kennedy. For at last we saw a Kennedy brother live a long life and die at home, of natural causes.

Today at lunch I bought my skincare at The Body Shop, gave my change to a homeless man, and renewed my membership in Greenpeace. While Ted wasn't on my mind as I did these things, it occurs to me that that they each came so naturally because I'm a Kennedy Girl. Since childhood, JFK, Bobby and Ted have shaped my world view. Government should do for the individual what the individual can't do alone. We are all responsible to one another.

I met him at a "Kerry for President" fundraiser in 2004. He was round and white-haired and friendly and LOUD and bigger than life, and I never expected to get so close to him. When he grabbed my hand, I was at a loss for words. (It doesn't happen often, but it happens.) So I just said, "Thank you." At the time I thought it was a dopey thing to say. In retrospect, I realize that "thank you" just about covers it.

"...the work goes on, the cause endures, the hope still lives, and the dream shall never die."