Today is a Monday on a Tuesday. With yesterday being a holiday.
Yesterday we took a moment to honor family who have passed on. My Dad, who did not pass away in combat, but who was a veteran. And my grandparents and my "real" grandma. Of course, my grandma was my real grandma, but my dad's mom died when he was 8. 8?! What a burden to carry. Or lay down, but I think mostly he carried it, tucked away deep inside his soul.
Anyway.... we had a quick visit to the cemetary yesterday evening and put some things on Dad's grave and visited the others. There is so much history in that cemetary. The Loewens, and Sudermans, and Hieberts, and Penners. And Leppkes. and more. But these are names that overwhelmingly fill the cemetary, and bring up memories of childhood.
I wanted to stop and talk to Dad a little. But.... too many people.
So I just acted like I was fine with simply decorating his grave a little and moving on. Shame on me for acting as if. But that's what my family does. We act as if we are fine when indeed, we are not.
I remembered Dad and all the many times we went to the pond to fish on Memorial day. And times when he sacrificed his opportunity to fish in order to put the worm on the hook and take the fish off the hook and ride kids around on the 4 wheeler and prepare the fire for us to cook our hotdogs.
Earlier in the weekend, we took part in a craft show to sell my daughter's crocheted stuffies, otherwise known as amigurumis. During this show, they played a lot of music featuring "America." America the Beautiful; the Star Spangled Banner; Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue; Proud to Be an American; and more. Many songs that made me think of my Dad, his patriotism, his love of our country and our state, and his pride in his citizenship, and probably in his service.
Though he went into the Navy as a pacifist, and pursued things that would only involve peace, much of the community/church etc., did not appreciate that someone of a faith of pacifism served in the armed forces. We didn't really talk about his service until I was fortyish. When I became a teacher. But the American Legion did place a nice flag at his headstone and he had a lovely tribute from the Navy (?) at his funeral. They played taps, and ceremoniously gave him a flag. It was very cool.
Memories. I'm flooded with memories. The good kind. I'm so glad there's so much to remember and so much GOOD in my dad.
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| Dad's headstone. The flag was placed for his service. And we brought the rest. |
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| Grandpa and Grandma Suderman's headstone. |
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| My Grandma that I never knew, this is her headstone. My Dad's mom, who passed away when he was a child. |
Memorial Day is such a day for memories. Many veterans in my family. A grandfather who did not die in the war, but later from lingering effects of his service- while my dad was young. My dad served during the Korean War, but did not go to war. My stepdad was a veteran, did not die while serving, but died on Memorial Day. My husband served in both the Air Force and the Army. He died in the battle against cancer. But he was the fourth in my family to receive military honors when he died. May we always remember all who have served to protect freedom.
ReplyDeleteMemorial Day is indeed a day for remembering. For many years, I took my mother to ALL the cemeteries, an all day process, to plant flowers and clean ALL the graves. I would be wet/dirty/exhausted/filled with so many thoughts and then, she would suggest stopping for lunch, which we always did even thought I was wet/dirty..........
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