TRULY LOST INNOCENCE by ST

I recall growing up, I'm talking really young and my dad would tell me about November 22nd, 1963. I was taking a nap(3 yrs old) when the word came down that JFK had been shot. The phrase that was most often turned was America lost her innocence that day. I see the point, but it was a grown up thing. The Challenger disaster a quarter century was truly shared grief that included kids because, as we all know, a school teacher was on board and classrooms across the U.S were tuned it. Obviously things were jacked up a billion fold when we watched the events of 9-11-2001 on our screens for pure TV horror. And yes, I do remember where I was when I heard the news as I did not watch the launch. Always a tad jaded, I was part of that generation in the 1960's when rocket launches with Walter Cronkite was can't miss TV. By the time we'd made it to the moon and stopped, I lost interest. I was driving from my residence at 42 Pancake Hollow Drive in Wayne, New Jersey to my place of employment, the Kids R Us store on the route 10 circle in Livingston. I arrived, parked, walked in and just about everyone was in hysterics. Won't forget that day. Regardless of any political beliefs, I'll always hold President Reagan in esteem for in essence soothing our nation that night and properly cancelling his State of the Union speech but taking the stage to address the tragedy.