Memorial Day

Dear Fellow Journalers,

The following is from Memorial Day 2013 written by our friend G. Enjoy!

Sallie

Last Friday, my adopted granddaughter Carla arrived for a sleepover and to spend the day on Saturday. As she arrived, I was in the middle of the constant effort to clean out the many years of accumulated stuff in our home and I was working on the many boxes of military uniforms and insignia that piled up over the years. Stuff was all over the floor in the living room.

Carla slept later than usual on Saturday morning, probably because of the 92 pieces of pepperoni pizza she’d eaten the night before.

As she groggily made her way down the hallway, I looked up from this military mess I was working on, said good morning and asked if she wanted some breakfast.

“No thanks Granppy, I’m not hungry (wonder why?) Just some milk please.”

“You want to watch cartoons while you wake up honey?”

But for some strange reason, she was more interested in what I was doing. She clambered up on my lap, and began to ask questions.

“What’s that Granppy? What does that mean Granppy?” I did my best to explain.

We even found some old photos of long ago and far away. Carla remarked “Boy Granppy, you were handsome then!” I laughed so hard I almost busted a gut. Realizing what she had said, she tried to recover. ‘I mean you’re still handsome now, only much older!” I almost fell off the chair I was laughing so hard.

Finally we reached the box that contained my medals. I tried to close the box quickly, favoring to sort this one in private. Carla was having none of it. She demanded that I identify each one. I tried to fluff this off, but she insisted.

When I finished, she said “Boy Granppy, you were brave!”

I really wanted to get this one right. I wanted desperately to say the right thing. I wanted her to know that there is no glory in war, only pain, suffering and heartbreak.

“No sweetie, I was afraid, VERY afraid. But I prayed that God would give me strength and love, because love of my country, of freedom, and of my fellow Marines would give me the strength to do what I had to do, and God answered my prayers.”

This wonderful, amazing child said no words, only put her hands around my neck, kissed my cheek, and hugged me. Right then and there, if I ever needed affirmation of the things I had done, I got it.

While I’m very concerned about America today, this sweet child of God made me know that our American way of life must go on, and the things my brother soldiers and I did made her an inheritor to the heritage of freedom.

Carla slid off my lap, and poured herself another glass of milk. (She only spilled a little!) Then she went over to an American flag displayed in a corner of the room.

“Granppy, know what I like best about America?”

“No honey, what?”

“McDonalds Happy Meals!”

How can you argue with logic like that? Glancing at my watch, I saw it was about that time.

“OK Sunshine, go wash you face, brush your teeth, get dressed and let’s go!”