Tuesday

Just a short note about how time flies.

This past Sunday was October 23. Why is it an important date for us Hungarians? Because 60 years ago on that day most of my friends' and acquintances' and my life had drastically changed.

To most of us it changed for the better but it is hard to judge to say what would have happened if that fateful day didn't arrive.

On October 23, 1956 Hungary rose up against the Soviet Union and for a few days it enjoyed unbelievable freedom and world sympathy. On November 4, 1956 the Soviets had enough and returned with a vengeance. They brutally broke the revolution and reinstated a new government under their control.

This was the beginning of the exodus that saw tens of thousands of Hungarians flee the country. Most of my friends left around that time or a little earlier. I left in late January of 1957 and by that time many were already here in the US.

Thinking back for the past sixty years it just does not seem like such a long time. Maybe because it was not uneventful. We all had to start a brand new life with no knowledge of the language, no parental support, no financial base and many other nos.

But most succeeded to various extents. Most of my friends have nice families, good jobs, nice homes.

Only God knows how we would have fared had we stayed back in Hungary and tried our life there. Yet, I have old schoolmates who as I understand did pretty well for themselves.

But all in all just speaking for myself and for anew very close friends I can surely say that we are glad that we took that first step in 1956/1957.

As I alway say: good country, Amerika.