Memorial Day 2011

Last updated on: May 31, 2011 at 6:07 pm by Dave Griffey

Memorial Day 2011 2011-05-31T18:07:00-04:00 Dave Griffey

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

This memorial day marked a new turn in my life. For the first time, I had someone to visit. My Dad, who passed away just a few months ago – though it seems forever – was a veteran from the Korean War era. He served on the home front, and was in the 3rd Armored out of Fort Knox, and later Fort Hood, Texas. He left when his discharge came up, and returned to spend the rest of his life working for the Railroad. First the Erie Railroad, then later the Erie Lackawanna, and finally, the Consolidated Rail Corporation, or Conrail. In those two institutions were much of what informed my Dad, and defined him as I knew him.

This Memorial Day then, was a chance for me to go for the first time and visit his grave. It was a strange moment. I had moved on in many ways, with only the occasional fleeting memory coming over me, or waking me at night as I realize he is gone. But there, looking down at that plot of freshly seeded grass growing, I understood what death meant. Possibly for the first time. There he was, down there, under the ground. The man who had taken me sledding, held me on his shoulders, taught me to hunt, to drive, to be responsible. That same man was now separated from me for the rest of this life by all of that dirt and sod.

My family was there, of course. My wife and boys. The boys took it at varying levels. While there was a moment they all came to me and comforted me, they also went about their own ways, looking around and trying to find the best way to see this moment. My 12 year old, noticing that his grave faced the old railroad yard in which he worked so many of his best years, commented that it was fitting. The setting, near a small picturesque pond, was also mentioned.

Then one of them noticed a flower vase on a nearby grave had fallen over. First one, then all four, went over to fix it and set it up again. They worked hard, but alas, it was broken and would not stay on that blustery day. Still, I thought it was kind. Nice that they would see the need of someone they didn’t know, or would never know. And out there, somewhere, was someone who would not know four young boys taking time away from their own family and its needs, to help a perfect stranger. Somehow that made it all seem OK, like this is what we are made for. Not the fleeting and often superficial things we worry about, but for one another. And if that’s the case, then I am fully confident in my Dad’s own well being, for he spent a lifetime helping and being there for those around him. Even if he didn’t know who they were. And that seems to be the essence of what we remember about Memorial Day, if anything is.

The older two continue working to fix the broken vase, while our youngest prompts an impromptu run by our 10 year old

Uncategorized

Previous Post

May 31, 2011

Obama will win in 2012

Next Post

June 1, 2011 America's Duma strikes again

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Abortion Atheism Awesome things Bigotry for the hip American Blogging Books Catholic Catholic Teaching Catholics on the Internet Christian Persecution Christian Unity Christianity and America Christianity in the Post-Modern World Christianity in the world Culture of Death Culture of Life Current Events Decline and Fall of the Christian West Defending Liberty Fun Stuff Global Warming Good Causes Good News Gun Control Health Care History Holidays Homeschool Humor Important things Inspiring Stories Interesting Insights Interesting Stories Islam and the West Liberal "Tolerance" Liberal observations Life in a post-Christian world Memorial Movies Musings News Other Blogs Our Big Politically Correct Bother Politics Popular Culture Post Modern Values Prayers Pro Life Promoting LGBT Protecting Liberty Racism in the world today Scientism Social Observations Sports Strange Stories The Boys The Catholic Church and the Left The Decline and Fall of the American Dream The end of liberty The Faith and the Left The Faith and the Right The Family The Greatness of God The Internet The Leftist Juggernaut The LGBT Question The Media The Pope The post-liberal Left The Power of Propaganda Tributes Twilight of the American Experiment Uncategorized Uneducating Postmoderns When the Church is wrong Why learn from history when we can repeat it instead Wisdom in the Post Modern Age World Events

Select a Month August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011 December 2010 November 2010 October 2010 September 2010 August 2010 July 2010

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

Who interpreted Nebuchadnezzar's dream of a statue?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Daniel Joseph Ezekiel Abraham