The President Who Communicated Hope: Ronald Reagan

I can remember exactly where I was when I read it in the paper, sitting at my white kitchen table in Rocky River Ohio in January of 1981. Ronald Reagan had just been inaugurated as president, and instantly it seemed, 52 Americans who had been held hostage in Iran for 444 days were released.

For me, and many others, it was the lifting of a weight and a burden. After all, we were the baby boomers who had been raised in years of hope and promise and plenty, raised to extol patriotism, honor and bravery. And yet by the late 70's, things seemed hopeless everywhere we turned. Unemployment was up, and inflation was too. Interest rates had skyrocketed. And Americans were deeply ashamed, saddened and embarrassed by the fact that our country seemed powerless to protect and free those hostages in Iran.

We rejoiced the day that burden lifted. It seemed we were back on solid ground. The hostages were home and Ronald Reagan, with perhaps the greatest ability to communicate hope of any President, convinced us to believe in ourselves, and to believe in America again. New hope was born in 1981.

And there was another birth in my life. My youngest son Seth was born November 16, 1981. A sunny, healthy boy with a smile as big as the sky. It was the slow beginning of good times for the country, for our family of four, for our business. We enjoyed and appreciated it . . . while it lasted.

We Johnsons were on a roll until the late 90's when my husband Bob passed away suddenly. I was left with our two sons, then 21 and 16, a family business I had no idea how to run, and mammoth overhead. Four cars, high insurance, a new house with a big mortgage, an office lease, college expenses. For us, the roll had came to a screeching halt.

As a family, we have healed, we have grown, we are people of faith. My sons are responsible, solvent, and each with a fine and faithful, not to mention beautiful, woman at his side. Neither has forgotten his dreams or the motto their Dad taught them, laughing, but meaning it: "Johnsons are winners!"

But as Americans, we have deja vu. Again, we have a recession. Unbelievable unemployment, unbelievable deficits and government spending. Corruption in government agencies. Failing businesses and bank bailouts. Prices creeping up at the grocery and the gas pump. Some of that old shame creeping back as our own President goes around the world apologizing for us. As he actually bows down to rulers of other countries, but is seen with his hands at his side during the pledge of allegiance to our own flag. As he makes a point of saying we are no longer a Christian nation. As the first lady admits she had never been proud of her country in her adult life.

Never? Never been proud to be a citizen of our beloved country that feeds and defends the world? Not proud "that we lead in science and technology research... Not the fact that she and her husband were able to go to Ivy League schools before embarking on extremely lucrative careers? Not the fact that we help out in disasters wherever they strike in the world?" Not proud of our amazing, brave and courageous armed forces who put their lives on the line for our freedom every day? Never, until her husband was elected.

But. . . but . . . those of us who are proud our country, who speaks for us? Ronald W. Reagan did. It was Reagan, who would be 100 years old today, who wanted to "go down in history as the President who made Americans believe in themselves again."

We could use a little Reagan, right now.

Source:
My life

Quote from http://thedailycannibal.com/