Tribure to Helen

   I found out yesterday that Helen Thomas died at age 92. She was a reporter who worked for United Press International and was also bureau chief.
 I had dabbled in journalism in high school and in college working mostly as a copy editor and proofreader. I loved reading the newspaper and could be found sitting on the floor of the common area of the dorm I lived in newspaper spread out in front of me. While I didn't want to be a reporter I liked to read about them. I read about Woodward and Bernstein, Ben Bradlee, Bob Schieffer and Walter Cronkite.
  I also read about Helen Thomas. Although I never read anything she wrote at that time I felt a sort of kinship with her. She started in a profession that was considered for men only. When I started out as a pharmacist most of my colleagues were male. I knew what it was like to be treated differently and sometimes badly because I happened to be female.
  Both of us worked hard at our careers. Her job entailed long hours and all hours,things she was willing to do because she loved what she did. She learned how to write quickly and accurately. She covered the Presidents of the United States writing articles about what they did. She tended to ask hard questions and was sometimes rebuked. It never stopped her.
  I also worked long hours as well. I wanted to be the best pharmacist I could be. I took work home with me (back when that could be done). Since I wasn't naturally smart or talented I had to work hard.
  Both of us married late in life. It probably isn't well known that Helen married at age 51 to fellow reporter Douglas Cornell who was fourteen years older than she was. He had worked for Associated Press and retired before they were married. They were married for 11 years before he died of complications of Alzheimer's disease.
  I married C at age 35 and we have an 18 year age difference, similar to Helen Thomas and Douglas Cornell.
   Even though we came from two different eras, worked in different jobs and lived completely different lives, I looked on her as a role model. It is sometimes hard when everyone around you is getting married and having a family. It's not always easy when you have a job that eats up huge amounts of time. It's not common to have the kind of job that you love and think about even when you aren't at work. Knowing that Helen Thomas was out there and had done it and was continuing to do it made things a little better. I wasn't alone. There was one other person.
  I wish I could say that she retired in glory. The fact is that her outspoken ways caused her some trouble. She retired under a cloud. The constitution may grant free speech, but the court of public opinion is much less forgiving. Her speakers bureau dropped her, cowriters refused to work with her and she was forced to retire. Her later years were spent as a columnist for a small newspaper who valued her and her right to her opinion.
  I'll always admire her. She felt that presidents and the government should answer to the people. She wrote books with amusing anecdotes about the Presidents that she covered. She lived her life out as she wanted and did so in her own way.
  Thant you for everything Helen. You had a good run. Rest in peace.

 

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