On this, the 100th birthday of Ronald Reagan, I’d like to offer a few lines of tribute to a special, one-of-a-kind person we all can respect. Ronald Reagan occupies an exclusive corner of my heart, a place where calling him “Ronnie” is the only way to go. While I have an infinite list of reasons for loving Ronnie, there is one reason above all he will forever have my respect and admiration.
Ronnie truly was exactly what he seemed to be. Balancing kindness, love and a gentle nature with immeasurable courage of his convictions, Ronnie captivated all those who saw him. In his letters to Nancy throughout their marriage, he fully reveals a vulnerable, sincere side of his nature the rest of us only glimpse briefly in his screen appearances. Because of Ronnie’s complete self-confidence, he had a capacity for love only dreamed of in romance novels. Perhaps most surprising of all in light of his soft-heartedness, he was not a wishy-washy man. In fact, we have yet to see an American politician with Ronnie’s unbridled devotion to his beliefs and the courage to defend them to all dissenters. Of course he wasn’t perfect (who would want him to be?), but even when he made mistakes he handled them with grace and charm. That’s all you can ask of a person.
So, may I say: Happy Birthday, Ronnie. We haven’t forgotten the lessons you taught us, even though we miss you more each day.
Don’t miss the other tribute posts to Ronnie around the blogosphere:
Noir Girl 