When I was a kid, because I start a whole bunch of stories this way, I remember listening a lot to a particular soundtrack from Disney World, which had different songs from all over the World. Specifically it has Grim Grinning Ghosts (because which soundtrack from the Parks doesn't?), Impressions de France, Tower of Terror, Test Track, Fantasia, and the one I listened to the most: Golden Dream from The American Adventure.
The song is played at the finale of the half hour show and is shown alongside clips from more recent events in our countries history. I know the song by heart, and could probably sing it all to you without the music playing behind me, and along with the music I've found that I also have the quotes from in the middle memorized, and those that know the song or the attraction enough know that there are three quotes.
The first is from JFK, the second from Martin Luther King Jr. and the last from the Moon Landing, meaning that all three are from are a particularly important time period. And you can see how this now connects to today's events.
Previously I've said how Disney has influenced my love of History, specifically through Spaceship Earth and The American Adventure. Goodness, we talked about it last week, but this is one of those times where it needs to be said. I have the utmost respect for our nation's history because of this attraction, and no matter what the circumstances, whenever I hear one of those quotes featured I get quiet, because they are important to all of us, even if we weren't alive when they happened.
That's why today is an important day no matter how old you are. If you are an American you should at least stop and think about the impact this day, 50 years ago, had on our country, and on your life. JFK is one of my personal favorite presidents, and his story one of my favorite portions of history.
A couple weeks ago my college's choir sang a song based and representing the life and assassination of JFK, and I almost blogged about it then, but decided to save everything JFK for today. The entire song you knew what was coming. You knew that eventually the shot would come and JFK would die, but even as it came you weren't ready. The sing shot on the snare still shocked you, and talking to some people in the choir, it sounds like no matter how many times they sang the song it still always made them jump a little bit.
The same can be said for the recent TV movie, Killing Kennedy, which, to be honest, I really only watched because Ginnifer Goodwin was starring in it. But either way, I am glad that I decided to watch and had my mom record it for me on the TV at home, because, just as the snare drum in the music, you knew the shot was coming. As the moments led up the assassination you knew it would be there, and yet it was just as shocking.
And so, I can't help but wonder what it was like for people who actually experienced it. Those standing in Dallas that day and heard the gunshot. The people watching on television around the nation as it was confirmed that the President of the United States had died. The family that was given that shocking phone call. Mrs. Kennedy sitting in the car. The people like my dad, students in school that were released early because of the news. He can still tell the story of where he was when the news was released, because that's something you never ever can forget.
That's why I think I love history so much too. Every piece of our lives is based on previous events. Our lives could be very different if anything had changed, and while it's fun to joke about History once and a while (I adored my HS History teacher for doing just that...making History fun), there are times when we all need to stop and be respectful. Times we need to stop and think about how our lives have been impacted on those who passed before us.
And sometimes we need to ask ourselves not what your country can do for you - ask what you can do for your country.
My fellow citizens of the world: ask not what America will do for you, but what together we can do for the freedom of man.
Frumpstagram today was titled "Sunrise, Sunset," so I quick went through an Album of one of my Disney trips and didn't have to look to far, since the sunset on the way to Disney World (or sunrise...I see that more often than sunset!) is the best one ever! I absolutely LOVE taking pictures out of the plane, even if technically I'm not supposed to have my phone on...I'm a rebel spy though so....
Here's today's Disney History: 1999: Bob Hope appears at Disneyland to inaugurate a new tradition, the first official lighting of the holiday lights at the park.
Have a magical day!
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