WHITE HOUSE REFLECTIONS
By Maj. Gen. Jerry R. Curry (ret'd)
CurryforAmerica.com
Last month my wife, Lady Char and I drove past the
White House for what was to be her last time, before
the cancer meanly took her away from me. When we
were two little kids growing up in the steel mill
town of McKeesport, Pennsylvania, we never thought
that we would one day dine at the White House not
once, but several times.
So much has changed in the White House area since
Islamic terrorists forced the closure of
I still remember the first time we were invited to
attend a White House social function. It was during
President Ford’s Administration and as we walked
around “The House” we kept asking ourselves what it
must feel like to live there? Later I helped General
Bob Yerks orchestrate President Carter’s
inauguration. After that invitations almost became
routine … assuming White House invitations ever
become routine.
At a ceremony I supervised at
Reflecting on those days often reminds me of some of
the useful things I’ve learned from Lady Char while
we walked together along the road of life. First, it
is important to always remember who you are, what
you stand for and to act in character. Second, it
helps to prayerfully turn your principles and
standards into habits. That way you don’t have to
think about what’s right or wrong, good or bad, or
smart or stupid. Life and your actions flow
naturally from situation to situation.
Third, it’s amazing how much you can learn from just
listening and observing. I know what I think and
believe, so I can’t learn much new by monopolizing
conversations. It’s far more educational and
illuminating to listen to what others have to say.
Fourth, marriage is a profession, not just a
happening. To be successful takes a lot of practice,
patience, humility and hard work. For example, I’ve
learned that anger and love are not opposites. When
I got angry with Lady Char -- and we all sometimes
get angry with our spouses -- it did not mean that I
loved her less. It simply meant that we were having
a heated disagreement. When the disagreement was
over and the contentious issues resolved, we loved
each other just as much as before the disagreement
happened, perhaps even more.
One of Lady Char’s most memorable visits to the
White House occurred after having visited
As she passed through the White House security
sensors, miniscule amounts of radioactive matter
still present in her blood set off the radiation
detectors. This was not a case of just turning
around and going back through the detectors again to
determine whether or not it was a false alarm.
The detection of radioactivity set off the entire
White House alarm system and alerted the security
apparatus that something dangerous was afoot. In
response, the Secret Service guards miraculously
appeared from everywhere. Her radioactive blood had
scrambled the entire White House security system.
Yes, they finally did let her in and reopened the
White House to normal visitor traffic.
Another valuable lesson Lady Char taught me was how
easy it is to feel sorry for ourselves and to forget
that how we live our lives is a deliberate choice.
When we get out of bed in the morning we have to
make a choice. We can choose to have a good day, a
bad day or a marginal one. Attitude is everything.
At the same time it’s important to recognize that all sunshine makes a desert. We all need some rain in our lives, especially if we want to grow and prosper. These are some of the things I’m reminded of each time I pass the White House.