By Dr. Jacquelyn Simmons
My Dear Friends,
When I was much younger, my aunt shared with me this account of what happened in the life of one of her co-workers who often ignored their warnings not to consistently travel into her future. The lady kept sharing her prayers to God with them in which she requested often to let her “live” to see her daughter graduate from high school. They wanted her to only pray that her daughter would finish high school. Well, when her daughter finished high school, the lady died soon afterwards.
Years later, I did not heed her advice and chose to plan my activities for the upcoming Thanksgiving week during which schools, and I was a teacher at Carroll High School, and classes would be closed for an entire week.
Because I have always been an avid reader and a steady patron of libraries, I was going to check out a stack of books and read, read, read, read!!!! As I parked the car in my favorite parking space in front of the school, my countdown started at four more days and then… Each day, I held this great “countdown”. However, there was one snare to my great dreamy expectations; God told me President Kennedy was going to be killed in Dallas. Well, his trip had been announced constantly for quite some time but no one seemed to be receiving the same message I was receiving, and of course I started praying, hoping that maybe I was hearing the wrong voice. I tried to ignore it, but it was persistent. I started asking myself- “Now, if I’m hearing correctly, how can an insignificant black woman living in Monroe, Louisiana, of all places, warn the President of the United States not to go to Dallas because God said he was going to be killed there.” Who would believe He would tell me that? If He really was assassinated, and if I were accused of being involved, would I be arrested and the key thrown away? Finally, Friday, of that week arrived and I almost skipped to my classroom. Why? Last day before Thanksgiving Break!!!
My friends, on that same Friday also, during the lunch hour, Mr. Frank Myles, Assistant Principal, announced on the intercom that President Kennedy had been shot in Dallas. My entire Thanksgiving week which I had looked forward to was spent totally in ruins due to reruns of the murder, death of possible suspects in the police stations, the funeral procession in which his son saluted his dad as he passed in the coffin located in a wagon, etc. Who did it? Who possibly could have done it?? Why did thy do it???
To add to my despair, I received a phone call from family members in Denver, Colorado, where I was raised, that my “Daddy” had had a stroke and his sight had gotten worse. After that announcement, I had difficulty walking, myself. I guess it was due to stress, and stress added to stress.
My friends, an elderly gentleman often traveled to churches unannounced carrying a guitar and we would allow him to sing and play the song, “One day at a time”. I did not understand his message then, but as I matured in life I began to understand his message in song.
My advice to you, my friends, never travel into the future. You do not know what awaits you up there. Take an old lady’s advice. “Do not travel into your future.”
God Bless!!!!
Love you much,
Jacquelyn Simmons
P. S. President Biden, “Never visit, but carefully allow some visitors to visit you.”
