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May 29, 2016

To The Veteran Who Has Been Forever Changed…

Dear Dad,

I want to say thank you to the veteran I barely know.  

I mean, I KNOW you and the man you are. I know how you met my mom in church, how you loved her probably from the time you first saw her.  I know about your family – your sisters and parents.  I know about your wedding day and your marriage.  I know about how you have always been there for me.  How even when you traveled for work, I always felt your presence.  How you have never NOT shown up when I needed you.

Thank You To The Veteran I Don't Even Really Know

I know how you rescued me in high school when I insisted I was too old for our family beach vacation and wanted to stay home….but by day 2 I was missing you guys so bad, you drove 5 hours all the way home just to get me and take me to the beach with the family I learned to never leave again.

I know how you walked me down the aisle and even though I never see you cry, I’m certain I saw a tear well up.  I had a lot of tears well up too…most of them fell that day.

I know how when I had my babies, you were there for me at the hospital cheering me on and saying prayers.

I know how you and I have a special bond – our quirky jokes and silly sense of humor.  Our love for family…for each other.

And I know you will do just about anything to work out a visit to my house to spend time with me and my girls, your granddaughters each week.

And I know you are a veteran…I know you served in the Vietnam War.  I know you just barely missed the draft age cutoff because you were older.  I know that had it not been for a fellow soldier who asked to switch barracks with you, you would have died in a bombing while there.  

And that’s really about all I know.  I know for certain that war changed you.  I know it left permanent scars on your heart and memories etched in your mind that you have probably fought your own personal war over for years.

I know that when I was about 8, we took a family trip and visited a Vietnam War memorial and that for the rest of the week, you barely spoke.  The memories too much to share.  Too horrific to want to remember.

I know that as I’ve gotten older, you’ve shared a few random snippets of your time during the War.  Just vague enough to remind me that these are memories of a time that you don’t want to relive.  

There were no fun comrades hanging out stories.  

These were stories of Hell….Hell on earth.  

Thank You To The Veteran I Barely Know

From the moment you landed there under attack with no weapons of your own – to the horrible welcome home from ungrateful Americans –  to today.  

And so I don’t pry.  I don’t ask more than you want to share.  Because I respect you…I know about memories you don’t want to remember.

But on this day, and every day, I want to say thank you.  Thank you for what you did.  Thank you for serving in a war and bearing the brunt of those memories so that I can have the freedoms I do.  Thank you for helping my girls grow up in a different world than what might have been.

Thank you to a man I know – even if I don’t know everything.  I know enough – Happy Veteran’s Day Dad.

Love,

HB

hillary fb

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Filed Under: from the heart, Uncategorized Tagged With: father, thank you, Veterans Day

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Hi I'm Hillary! Just a mom trying to raise my kids the best I can in this crazy world. I hope you'll join me as we figure out how to be the best mom, wife and person we can be!

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