Provocations

By pbobby

Franklin Delano Roosevelt (born January 30, 1882) spoke to America during World War II to keep our spirits up and to rally us to the doing of myriad tasks aimed at helping us to win the war. This is a man who in his youth led a very comfortable and refined existence, the son of James and Sara Delano Roosevelt.

In his early years he was most athletic, excelling in swimming and sailing. He also was an avid collector of stamps, birds and ship models. These hobbies continued into his late adulthood.

After graduating from Harvard University in 1904, Mr. Roosevelt continued his formal education at Columbia University Law School. He left school before graduating and was admitted to The New York State Bar in 1907.

His political life began with his election to the New York Senate in 1910. FDR was the running mate of James Cox for the presidency in 1920 and was soundly trounced by the Republican, Warren G. Harding. (WGH was the only American President to be impeached and removed from office.)

In 1921, FDR was stricken with poliomyelitis. He was then a cripple who was encouraged by his family and friends to get out of politics and become a Country Squire. This man refused to hide out somewhere and became ever more active in public affairs. Among other offices he held were two terms (1929 to 1933) as the Governor of New York

This was the era of the Great Depression with more than 25% of the workforce unemployed. FDR was nominated to run for the Presidency in 1932 and he did so with the promise of a new deal for the American public. He handily defeated Hoover and became president. His presidency was centered on the effort to restore prosperity. This was the beginning of the revolutionary extension of federal power into the everyday life of the entire public.

He was successful in getting people back to work and out of the depression. But his greatest challenge was yet to come, enduring the horrors of World War II. I remember listening to him on our arch shaped radio that had three knobs: on, tune, and volume. This was what I considered to be the greatest marvel in my young life. I also listened to "Fibber Mcgee and Molly," "Amos and Andy," "Terry and the "Pirates," "The Lone Ranger," and "Digby Odell, the Friendly Undertaker," etc.

Pardon this digression. I remember two of FDR's utterances that have become fixed in my mind. When the Japanese attacked and destroyed Pearl Harbor, He said, "This is a day that will live in infamy", and then as the war wore on, I heard him say over the radio "We have nothing to fear but fear itself."

Franklin Delano Roosevelt led us bravely to our final victory in the war that was to end all wars. We all know it did not turn out that way.

And now we face a very different kind of war, the insidious, barbaric war of terror and hatred. This war's greatest element of power is the fear it produces in our psyche. Fear is an integral hell-maker for us all, if we allow it to. Why are we so afraid of what others may think of us if we are truly forthcoming with our beliefs? Why are we so fearful of going to a fictional Hell Fire at our deaths?

We often find ourselves in fear of losing our jobs. When we read or see on TV school shootings, we agonize over the possibility of our children being shot, kidnapped, raped or killed in a car crash.

We must remember not to assume that one of these tragedies will afflict our children, spouse and significant others in our lives. Such horrible events are possible, but we need not live in grief over things that have not happened to us. To do so is to suffer needlessly. Life will give us all enough to grieve about without our imagining other tragedies and grieving over them.

And when painful losses occur, we can do a lot more than wring our shaky hands. All we have to do is the best we can. Look at all the things and friends we have left to work with, and thankfully work with them toward resolution and recovery.

Don't, I say, don't think, that when bad things happen to you that God did it to you for a purpose. What kind of God would that be?

I do not believe in predestination of the day and time of my demise. I know that I am going to die and have accepted it as truth. I can live in fear of my death or I can live as though I will never die in the time I have left. Coming to terms with our inevitable death is the greatest release we can have to liberate our minds and souls from the fear of death.

Back to FDR - he suffered physically and emotionally through many a tragedy in his own life and the lives of the American people. But, he did the best he could throughout his illustrious life.

His life seems be a striking parallel to the "Four Agreements" by don Miguel Ruiz. He did not take much personally. He did not make too many assumptions. He did the best he could. He spoke to me and to all Americans over the marvel of my young life - the radio - with impeccable words.