Ted Kennedy

I am not a real fan of Ted Kennedy, as I do not agree with a lot of his politics but I was deeply moved by parts of his funeral service this past Saturday. I had it on in the background as I caught up reading six or so newspapers. I could no longer read when I heard Susan Graham sing Ave Maria. That song always gets me. It brought tears as it did to many in the congregation. What a beautiful piece of musical art.

Then Teddy Kennedy, Jr. spoke. His speech revealed a side of his father that seemed more down to earth than his Senatorial, “force of nature” impression gave. I have great admiration for anyone who has to deal with loss and suffering as the Kennedys have  and as Ted Kennedy did continuously with the struggle to make sure his own boys’ health was maintained as they grew and later, his daugther, Cara had cancer. His oldest son, Teddy, lost his leg at age 12 to bone cancer and his younger son, Patrick, dealt with debilitating asthma. It was what Teddy Jr said that touched me most. He described the time when after losing his leg his father asked him if he wanted to go sledding. The hill was slick with snow packed ice. He was having trouble walking anyway and the ice didn’t do him any favors. He slipped and fell and started crying, saying, “he could never do it, never get up that hill.” His father picked him up and told him most assuredly, “Teddy, I know you can do it. There is nothing you cannot do.  We’ll do it together and if it takes us all day we’ll get up that hill.” The picture flashed on the screen of Teddy Junior on his father’s back on that sled sliding down the hill. The lesson learned here was that Ted Kennedy believed and taught his son that “even our most profound losses are survivable….it’s what you do with loss, how you transform it” that makes the difference. I too believe in this and in perseverance and have the greatest respect for those who exhibit this exemplary, characteristic trait. He went on to say how he learned so much more from his father in the final weeks about humility, faith, hope….Having lost a good friend to a brain tumor and seeing my father battle his own disease in his final days, I could relate. So many of us have been here and if we haven’t yet, we probably will. Death is part of living.

I wasn’t aware that Ted Kennedy was such an accomplished painter. He was so moved by others tradgedies that he reached out to each of his fellow Massachusettes citizens who lost family in 9/11. He called and stayed in touch with everyone and even painted paintings (highly realistic and quite good) that he then sent to them or helped them in some way and even invited some to spend time with him in Cape Cod sailing. This is the personable, humanistic Ted Kennedy that I’d like to remember.

I wasn’t looking for art here but found it, because Art is Everywhere.

On a side note, I can’t believe this is the final day of August. My push for a September unveiling continues…