Earlier this year, I read Bill O’Reilly’s book entitled Killing Lincoln. It was a fascinating read, and I learned so much about the history of that period. In the past week, I finished reading O’Reilly’s second ‘killing’ book entitled Killing Kennedy: The End of Camelot. Once again, O’Reilly taught me a great deal about the Kennedy years that I did not know. I was born the year after President Kennedy was assassinated, and had never studied his presidency at all.
The book is written as a countdown toward the assassination of John F. Kennedy. All throughout the book, O’Reilly reminds the reader that John Kennedy has a numbered amount of months or days to live. For example:
Page 154: April 9, 1963: “The man with seven months to live is talking to Winston Churchill.”
Page 176: “The man with six months to live doesn’t contemplate it, but those closest to him may remember his last birthday party as his very best.”
Page 236: November 13, 1963: “The man with nine days to live admires Greta Garbo as she takes off her shoes……”
This concept of days remaining on earth was repeated numerous times in the book. With the benefit of hind-sight, we now know exactly how and when the events of John Kennedy’s life took place, in relation to his murder. Prior to November 22, 1963, no one had that perspective. Certainly not Kennedy.
One day each of our life stories will be told in relation to the time we have remaining on the clock of our life. Sometime in the future, it will be said of me, “The woman with six months to live did such-and-such.” One day it will be said of you, “The man with 5 days to live talked to so-and-so. How do I know? Because, barring the return of Jesus to this earth and the rapture of the church, each of us will die.
And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment…. Hebrews 9:27 (NKJV)
John Fitzgerald Kennedy made more than a few poor choices. He cursed. He had scores of sexual encounters with women of all ages while he was president. He made choices based on politics and being re-elected, rather than what was best for the country. Yet, he also made some excellent choices. He loved his country and served in the armed forces. He adored his children. He loved Jackie, more at the end than the beginning. He held to his Catholic faith. I wonder, though, if President Kennedy had known the date of his death, would he have made different choices?
You and I do not know the dates of our death, but if we did, would we make different choices than we are making today? If I knew I had only 5 months to live, would I live differently; would I love differently? Would you?
