The Lion Sleeps Tonight

After writing about Eunice Kennedy Shriver's death and how much I admired her, I also want to acknowledge the death of her brother, Senator Edward Kennedy.

The news broke this morning and the reporter said, "The nation is mourning the loss of Ted Kennedy."

Ok, wait a minute. How do they know the whole nation is "mourning?"

Ted was not my favorite Kennedy. Maybe it has to do with Chappaquiddick. I'm big on forgiveness; I'm equally fond of accountability.

I've always found him a little slimy. The whole rape trial, Uncle Teddy helping out his nephew, William Kennedy Smith, didn't help.

But, I must certainly admire his passion in the senate and his endless works in the areas of health care, the poor, the disabled and more.

And let's not forget he left a wife, an ex-wife, children, step-children, nieces and nephews. By tragic default, he was the family patriarch. He rose to the occasion and they were some pretty steep shoes to fill.

I guess I am mourning. I'm in awe of of this family that I do not know. I'm astounded that he is the last of the nine siblings and now the torch of this family -- America's royal family -- has been passed to the next generation.

My generation.


(Correction: Jean Kennedy Smith, Ted's sister and mother of the accused rapist, is the last living Kennedy of that generation.)

The Marrying Kind

I still refer to my husband by the title "my husband" for two reasons. First of all, we are still legally married and secondly, I probably won't ever refer to anyone else by that title again. Well, unless it has "ex" in front of it.

Although you might think that's silly coming from someone like me. This is not my first marriage or my first divorce. But, I do believe it is probably my last one. It's sad because I really like so much about being married. I never intended to be anything but married, especially this last time. Sometimes things just don't work out as planned.

I am a great studier of other people's relationships. And I know a lot of people that probably should not be married but somehow they've made it work and I haven't.

Someone very near and dear to my heart is also my idol. She was a wonderful wife and mother while still maintaining her own identity and sense of self in a role that sometimes chews up other women. Once her husband passed away, she was content to view her role as someone's wife as completed. She even said to me, "I enjoyed our many years together but I will not be anyone else's wife."

When she recently announced that she is marrying her boyfriend of several years, it made me rethink a few things. Like, I probably shouldn't make grand pronouncements of never marrying again.