Who Was Jacqueline Kennedy? by Bonnie Bader

 Who Was Jacqueline Kennedy? – a world famous fashion figure and a beloved First Lady of the United States. As the first lady of the United States, she combined her love for arts and culture, which led to the White House restoration into historical site, and improving the global standing during the volatile time of Cold War.

Jacqueline Lee Bouvier (1929-1994) was born in Southampton, New York, to the wealthy family. However, the 1929 stock market crash reduced family’s wealth substantially.

From childhood, she loved reading. She was more like her mother, shy and loved horses. Her younger sister was more like her father, outgoing and daring. Their parents split when the girls were still very young, and mother remarried in 1942.

Throughout her young years, Jackie continued to withdraw. She preferred reading and writing poetry over socializing with friends.

At boarding school, she became editor of the school newspaper.

She wasn’t interested in becoming a housewife. She continued her education at Vassar College. After her freshman year, she took a trip to Paris during the summer time. She fell in love with Paris so much that she returned to Paris to study there during her junior year.

In order to be close to her family, she spent her final year of college at George Washington University in Washington, DC.

After college, Jackie was determined to find an interesting job. Her first job was at the Washington-Times-Herald newspaper answering phones and filing papers. Then, she became an Inquiring Photographer.

At a dinner party, she met John Fitzgerald Kennedy, a congressman from Massachusetts. When he proposed, she wasn’t sure if she should say yes as they both were very independent. He was twelve years older. She didn’t want her life to be taken over by politics. Eventually, they got married in 1953.

She wanted to be a supportive wife. Thus, she took a course in American history at university. She helped him in preparing speeches. But with time, she realized that this wasn’t her passion. She loved culture and arts. Jack’s passion was only politics. They started growing apart.

However, when he ran for presidency, she was very involved. The crowds loved her. When Jack won, she was only thirty-one years old.

She accompanied the new president on trips to many countries. The crowds were wowed by her elegance, beauty and intelligence. She proved to be an excellent First Lady and becoming a superstar.

As a lover of art, Jackie convinced the government to make the White House a national museum. She studied the building’s history and found treasures in dusty closets, attic and basement. She persuaded famous artists to donate paintings and worked with a gardener to redesign the Rose Garden. To help with the upkeep, she wrote a book and the money goes to the fund she set up.

She had an even bigger dream to create a cultural center in the capital. Again, she raised money and the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts opened in September 8, 1971.

She also focused on her children. She wanted Caroline and John to have a normal childhood as possible.

After assassination of Jack in 1963, she moved to New York City where she helped her brother-in-law, Bobby Kennedy run for a Senate seat and he won the election.

Meanwhile, she became close with Aristotle Onassis whom she had met a few years earlier. He was twenty years older. Her family objected to this union. However, after Bobby Kennedy was shot, Jackie turned to Onassis who provided her with security.

They married in 1968 on his private island in Greece. Many objected to this marriage including his two children from his previous marriage who didn’t attend the wedding. It was a short marriage and not a happy one. Ari died in 1975.

In 1975, she became an editor and it was a position she loved.

In 1994, she died of cancer.

This biography exemplifies a woman who loved her independence as much as she loved arts and culture. She didn’t follow the cultural norms of her time. But when she decided to get married, she put her best effort to support her husband. In doing so, she realized that she also had to stay true to herself and went back to what she loved the most, arts and culture. She learned that she could do both follow her passion and serve the humanity along her husband’s mission.

Source: Penguin Workshop, 2016

 

 

  

TRENDING INSPIRATION: "Every moment one lives is different from the other. The good, the bad, hardship, the joy, the tragedy, love, and happiness are all interwoven into one single, indescribable whole that is called life. You cannot separate the good from the bad." – Jackie Kennedy

 

Traits:

·         She was shy as a child, and throughout her young years she continued to withdraw. She preferred reading and writing poetry over socializing with friends. – But this didn’t stop her from stepping into public spot as the First Lady.

·         At boarding school, she became editor of the school newspaper. – This was the job she got later in life after many experiences and loved this position the most.

·         Despite being shy, she wasn’t afraid of making bold decisions, and going outside the social norms of her time.

·         She fell in love with Paris during her summer trip after freshman year of college, so much that she returned to Paris to study there during her junior year. – She followed what made her excited about life. Many of us find excuses for not doing what excites us.

·         After college, Jackie was determined to find an interesting job - answering phones and filing papers may not sound exciting but for her it was more exciting than just getting married right after college.

·         When she met Jack Kennedy, she wasn’t sure if she wanted to get married. Once she did, she put her best effort into the marriage. – Through this experience she realized that she couldn’t follow her husband’s dreams as political arena wasn’t for her. She realized that she had to stay true to herself. Thus, she returned to art and culture. She learned that she could do both follow her passion and serve the humanity along her husband’s mission.

 

 

 

"I want to live my life, not record it." – Jackie Kennedy

 

 

FURTHER INSPIRATION AND RECOMMENDATION:

 

The above words of Jackie Kennedy bring to mind the words of a holistic psychologist who says that we’re using subconscious mind 95% of the day – going back to Jackie’s words if you want to live your life you have to be conscious of what you’re doing every day. So far we’ve been conscious only 5%, the 95% is our recording.

 

 How to Do the Work by Dr. Nicole LePera explores the aspect of Self-Healing – the holistic approach. These days more and more modern day doctors who were total sceptics of holistic approach, turn inward and toward it after personal experiences.

The same happened with science which has merged with spirituality after many physicists having their own experiences (out-of-body or seeing energy).

We’re entering a new age so called Golden Age (from duality to singularity).

In this book, the author shows how to recognize the core beliefs, identify conditioned thought patterns and tune into your own intuition in a process of reconnecting to your true Self.

Past experiences and traumas, from early childhood, have lasting impact on us and our relationships, believes, and behaviors – product of physiological stress responses stuck in the body.

Holistic psychology focuses on the mind, body, and soul in the service of rebalancing the body. Indigenous and Eastern cultures have fully understood and honored the connection.

There is an awakening happening right this moment. It’s no longer “faulty genes.” Now, it’s the groundbreaking discovery of epigenetics – the impact of our daily environment on our health (reconnecting with nature and cultivating your passions is very important).

1.      Healing is a daily event (develop a habit of doing something that brings you joy every day, even if it’s just 5 minutes). You must go inward to be healed.

2.      Many things are beyond our control, others are within our control.

3.      A lot of times, we cling to something that is familiar – as it makes us feel safe. Take small steps to try something new every day – even if it’s a different route home. A lot of times, fear gets in a way of us doing something new. Thus, start with small steps. Otherwise, we get discouraged quickly if we try a giant step. Don’t let fear get in your way of having a fulfilling life.

4.      Take responsibility for your mental wellness – it’s very empowering.

The Conscious Self – becoming aware – is a big part of this journey.

Most of the time, we run on autopilot, a primitive, or subconscious, part of our mind. When we’re using subconscious mind 95% of the day, then it’s hard to make any changes, because we like comfort zone. Thus, setting intentions is very important, and start with small ones, with something you know you can follow through. Otherwise, you’ll face resistance. Subconscious mind directs us into default mode. We’re comfortable with expected. We don’t like unexpected. Break free from the cycle.

The author goes deeper into explaining different traumas, mind-body healing practices, the power of belief, how to deal with your ego, boundaries and setting them, and emotional maturity.

For those into holistic approach, this is an excellent guidebook.