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Elusive Hero, Long-Lost Soulmate

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JFK's old sailboat that he'd take out on Hyannis weekends. x3
Finally, I am at a point in my personal independence that I could decide to take my morning for myself and spend it at the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library. Anyone who has known me knows my longstanding obsession with JFK, this library, and his Bostonian background. But this was the first time I had been back there since I was twelve years old!
And reading "Elusive Hero" with my legendary coke. (October 2014) 
Spending good time reflecting on my life and the man who was so bold he looked illness&death in his life as part of his christian struggle. A man so amazing he followed his family's history yet reimagined their life. A true leader. Someone who was the everyman and christ incarnate for this country. My fave president. #jfk (September 2013) 
Just seeing his sailboat and this site, right next to UMass Boston, relaxed me so much.
Reading Chris Matthews' "Elusive Hero" really helped me re-envision my starts and stops in leadership, service, writing, life in direct comparison with this great, mysterious man.

Harbor Walk view, with a sea gull chillin'

Is it really cocky or just confident to see myself in his story and struggle? Versions of myself over time, growing as he grew, learning as he learned. Seeing where my future and my big plans may take me scaffolded onto those of this Irish-Catholic, third generation Bostonian turned New Yorker turned President.

We shared so much of the same experience as


  • a second child
  • making simultaneous mischief and progress through school administration from an early age
  • illness in stomach and back problems
  • amassing sidekicks throughout our lives from different walks of life
  • closeness but expectations of family
  • being drawn to public service, then politics as a way to impact change and create good governance
  • his relationship with his younger sibling/my younger cousin
  • his relationship with his older siblings who died so tragically
  • his relationship and formation of his friends and his following

I could go on, but "Elusive Hero" is an amazing way of showing JFK as just Jack Kennedy, rather than John Fitzgerald Kennedy, and "What's he like?" rather than the myth that we see over and over again. This book makes me laugh to myself, and cry on the very same page, and highlight and smile at every word.



Reading this alongside Mindy Kaling's "Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me?" gave me the two halves of myself: the funny and the serious. Again, just like Jack. I don't know how much of this will make logical sense to someone who is not me, but I really needed this calm quiet moment in my life to just chill, listen to two guys from Politico and DC talk about ISIS one table over, and just relax before the tumultuousness and mental turbulence that is a job interview. Especially an Americorps interview. JFK created the Peace Corps based on his experience in the Navy and his commitment to international development. Since I am from India and the diaspora in Singapore, I have that international bend to my life, but public service, and Americorps always appealed to me because its about how to make your home and your community thrive. We shall see where the wind blows.

peace, love, sunshine. x
Ray

Maithreyi 'Ray' Shankar
raysofsunshine.me
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Songs on Repeat: "Out of the Woods" ~ Taylor Swift
"Driving Through A Dream" ~ Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness

Flights Taken This Year: VIII






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Location: John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum, University of Massachusetts Boston, Columbia Point, Boston, MA 02125, USA

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