Celebrating April 15 ain’t so bad

It really isn’t so bad. The 15th of April, that is.

OK, OK so there are a few things that make the day, well, not so good. The big one, of course, is the fact that it is income tax day. Not a fun one in these troubled times, not even for the IRS.

There were worse April 15ths in history. Let us go back a stretch to the year 1912. A certain ship was on its maiden voyage across the Atlantic — the RMS Titanic, the largest and most luxurious ship of its time. It left Southhampton, UK, for New York on the 10th. But as fate would have, it the ship struck an iceberg four days later. That was at 11:40 p.m., April 14. Two hours and forty minutes later she sank to the bottom, along with thousands of people still on board. Only 705 of 3,327 passengers and crew survived to tell that sad tale, a bad day on the 15th to be sure, even in the wee hours of the morning.

Let’s go back a little farther to end of the bloodiest war in American history, the Civil War. Ironically, that war started in April 1861 and ended in April 1865. But it was what happened on the night of the 14th at Ford’s Theater that writes the final chapter in that American tragedy. While attending the play “Our American Cousin” with his wife and a few friends and officers, President Abraham Lincoln was assassinated by a southern sympathizer and actor, John Wilkes Booth. With a single shot from a derringer pistol to the back of the president’s head, he was mortally wounded.

He was carried to the Peterson boarding house across the street from the ill-fated theater and laid out on a bed too small to fit his long 6-foot-4 frame at an angle. He languished in a coma for close to nine hours, barely breathing. At 7:22 a.m., April 15, the great emancipator breathed his last. Secretary of War Stanton, who was there in that tiny overcrowded room, said it best: “Now he belongs to the ages.”

Now before you go on saying, what do you mean it isn’t so bad when all you write about is disaster and death? There is an upside. That’s up next, but first we have to take a very long trip in our time machine way back to the year 1452. To Vinci, Italy, to be exact and a small village on the slopes of Montalbano under the watchful eye of castle of the era.

On April 15 of that year, a genius was born. His name? Leonardo Da Vinci. He grew up to be the worlds’ first multi-tasker — genius and a master of art, science and invention. Few people on earth back then, and even today, can match him. His paintings are beyond words, such as “The Last Supper,” which depicts Christ in a last gathering of his disciples before his crucifixion. Or the mystery smile on the face of the “Mona Lisa.”

He was the forefather of modern scientific thought, inquiry and description. His techniques used in his studies on human anatomy, flight and other subjects in nature would be the basis of most of science today. His inventions were extraordinary, like the first helicopter, a glider and even the first combat tank. His notes and codices are still being studied and marveled at to this day.

Now let’s jump back in the time machine and throw the controls forward to a point just 52 years ago. It’s 1961, the place is New Bedford, Mass. You see, on that April 15 I was born, the youngest of three; two older sisters and me. The people and the subjects I talked about are ones I love to read about and study.

The Titanic rests miles below the surface. Thanks to Dr. Robert Ballard’s discovery of the great ship in 1985, he took underwater exploration to new heights. I love to read and watch his efforts to bring to the light of day that which has been in the dark for ages.

I’m also a big Civil War buff. I have collection of books and videos about that era. And my favorite president of all time is Abraham Lincoln — a man of distinction and deep complexity. I never tire of reading about him and those times he lived and breathed in.

As for Leonardo Da Vinci, the only things we have in common — besides our birthdays — are the fact we are both left-handed, are driven to learn more about this world and we both love art. But I will never come close to being the genius he was. He was, however, a man I greatly admire. He taught through his writings and artwork that exploring and learning doesn’t stop with high school or college. It goes on for life.

So for myself, the 15th of April ain’t so bad. On Monday I will celebrate in my own small way. I do need a haircut. As for the IRS? Well, I will keep that opinion to myself.

Wasilla resident Daniel D. Grota retired from the U.S. Army after more than 21 years of service.