USA And The Future Of The World

[acharya]

I turned 60 this year. Walter has been so much a part of my life, of who I am. And I have been dreading this day for years: Walter Cronkite gone. There is not one major (public) event in my life that Walter didn't lead me through. Not one. From Kennedy's death to the moon landing to the King & Bobby Kennedy assasinations to Vietnam (where my friends were dying), Walter was the one who gave me the news, who led us through the events, who gave permission to the complex emotions we all felt. I am crushed. I cannot stop crying. I feel so badly for all the younger people who are lacking an icon, a family member like Walter. He was there for the evening news (there truly was no other, no choices -- CBS & Walter. Who could choose otherwise?) But I also fondly remember "You Are There" -- which no one has mentioned. This was a major part of my Sunday nights as a kid. The TV was never on during dinner. Except Sunday. Sunday & Walter (we called him "Uncle Walter".) We watched the Civil War, WWII, major American events -- all with the introduction & the sign-off of, "You Are There." And I was. TV tray in front of me, history via Walter on the TV. That remains one of my most wonderful childhood memories. I will never get over missing Walter. I was furious when they made him retire in the '80s. I am furious that he's been taken away from us -- others of us will die, I will die -- but Walter? Never Walter -- I wanted him to be here throughout my life, just as he was at the beginning of my life. Some of us should live forever. My first nominee would be Walter. I guess the best I can do is to continue to carry him with me, just as he'd carried me for every day till now. This is an incredible loss -- even for those younger folks who don't yet realize it, Walter's death makes all of us a little bit less than we were yesterday. Walter -- thank you, from the bottom of my grateful heart, for all you helped me through, for all that you made simpler & more reasonable & more understandable & more compassionate. Till the day I die, I will never forget you, nor will I cease being grateful for your central presence in my life. But "that's the way it is"; goodnight, Uncle Walter.