4th of July

Every fourth of July I find myself pondering the sacrifices made by countless people so that I can enjoy the freedoms they fought to achieve.

I can't look at this day without thinking about my Daddy. He was a pilot in WWII. There is an entire chunk of his life that I never knew about. The experience of war was just too painful to recall, I suppose. How could he have ever painted an accurate picture of war without instilling great fear in his listeners? There are some experiences better left unsaid.

This I do know. My dad was gentle, loving and kind. If he raised his voice at us we KNEW he was at the end of his rope. He had a delightful sense of humor but was quiet about it.

I can't even hear the name Bill Cosby without giggling. My Daddy would lean against the door frame between the living room and the kitchen and just squeak with giggles when we would watch "Bill Cosby. Himself." That is when I learned that humor was best when clean and appropriate for ALL family members.

My Daddy was the first generation born in this country. He loved his country. He was proud to be an American and willing to lay down his life to protect the tenets we enjoy. He never knew the life of great wealth. But he knew how to raise his children to be grateful for EVERYTHING they had. I never thought of us as poor until I grew up and had my own children and realized how difficult it must have been for them with 6 kids.

I remember when I was in about the first grade. Every Sunday night we would go into the kitchen and daddy would have us stand on the lid of an egg carton. He would outline our feet, cut out the shape and place it in our shoes. He never made us feel like he was angry or upset about this. It was actually a fun memory for me. He would hug me and say something to make me giggle every time. If my feet were ever cold, I have no memory of it. I always thought life was just wonderful!

The other night I had the opportunity to speak with a bunch of WWII Vets at a dinner I was asked to attend. It was interesting to see these men in their 80's. We spoke about a lot of things that night but the war did come up briefly. When they mentioned their service you could see the silent pride of a job well done. It felt very good to be able to thank them for their service. A big chunk of my heart yearned to be able to tell my own Daddy thank you.

Anyway, for all those who have served and for those who are currently serving, I say Thank you. I pray that you will KNOW of our appreciation and love.