John F. Kennedy gravesite

The John F. Kennedy Presidential Library opened back up this weekthe library had a fire that happened at almost the same time as the bombings at the Boston Marathon. Luckily no one at the library was hurt and that they were able to get back to business pretty quickly.

The counterpoint to this is that the “eternal flame” at Kennedy’s grave is undergoing repairs – so if I were you, I’d go to the Kennedy Library now and then drop by Arlington Cemetery in a few weeks:

This is only the second time a temporary burner has been used at the gravesite. The first occurred when Kennedy was laid to rest, 49 years ago on November 25, 1963, when a temporary burner was used until 1967.

The flame will continue to be eternal – by burning on the temporary burner – while the permanent burner is “undergoing significant upgrades to make the flame system more modern, energy efficient and easier to maintain,” the press release announces.

Obviously I get that even eternal flames need repair, but it is kind of funny to think about how there’s a “temporary eternal flame” at the site. Perhaps it’s the presidential gravesite version of “The Neverending Story.”