STRIVING

                                   EVER ONWARD
                                   EVER UPWARD 
                                   ON OUR WAY WE GO


THAT WAS MY JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL SONG.  NEXT YEAR IS MY 50TH HIGH SCHOOL REUNION.  JOHN F. KENNEDY WAS PRESIDENT THEN.  I WAS IN COLLEGE WHEN HE WAS SHOT.  STILL STRIVING I WENT TO STUDY FRENCH AT THE COLLEGE LANGUAGE LAB.  IT WAS CLOSING. THE DIRECTOR , AN IMMIGRANT WAS CRYING.  I MOURNED WITH HIM AND GAVE UP STRIVING. 


 JOHN GLENN WAS THE FIRST AMERICAN IN SPACE WHEN I WAS IN HIGH SCHOOL.  ALTHOUGH THE FIRST TO CONQUER INNER SPACE WAS THE CASTRO CONVERTIBLE.   WE HAD TO WEAR SKIRTS TO DINNER IN COLLEGE WHEN I WAS A FRESHMAN.  WE HAD A DORM CURFEW OF 10 PM.  BY THE NEXT YEAR ALL RESTRICTIONS WERE ELIMINATED.  


THEN CAME THE VIET NAM WAR IN THE LATE SIXTIES.  MY MASTERS DEGREE COMMENCEMENT AT COLUMBIA U IN NYC WAS INTERRUPTED BY THE GRADUATING COLUMBIA COLLEGE STUDENTS WALING OUT TO PROTEST THE WAR.  


MAKE LOVE NOT WAR BECAME THE MOTTO OF THE 60'S AND 70'S.   WE WERE OFF TO THE RACES.  BUT IN THE BACK OF OUR MIND WAS OUR ONWARD AND UPWARD STRIVING.  I MADE A LIVNG FOR 34 YEARS AND AM LIVING IN RETIREMENT WITH MY BEST FRIEND RAY ON THE FRUITS OF THAT LABOR, 


SO ONWARD AND UPWARD
STRIVE ON MACDUFF

 MY BACK YARD IN FLORIDA

FOR OUR CAUSE IS TOUGH!