Veteran's Day

I had time to read the newspaper today, since I had the day off. I found a local race for a good cause and decided that I would head over and give it a go. It would be a good way to see how ready I am for the Yankee Stadium race on Sunday. (By the way, did you donate yet? Probably not.   https://www.drcrf.org/SSLPage.aspx?pid=447&frsid=7095)

The Veteran’s Day Dash was set off by a cannon.

It was a flat, fast route. I ended up finishing fourth overall for women, and second in my age group. I was very happy with this as there were over 1,000 people running.  My time wasn’t all that great and I don’t feel like I am in the best shape, but apparently everyone else there is in worse shape!

The race got me thinking about what today is really all about. Normally I would enjoy my day off and not really pay much attention to the reason, even though it is such an obvious reason. Veteran’s Day, hmmm, what could be the purpose of this day off? I spent much of my day thinking about a veteran that meant so much to me; my grandfather.

He was in the Navy at the time of World War II. He was involved in an accident that involved glass puncturing his eye. With that, he lost his eye and got a fake one. Many people would sulk and let this be a handicap. Not my grandfather! He did what any proud man would do, he used it to torture his family. My mother claims to this day, that she did not know her father had a fake eye for years and years. When she was a child, he told her he always slept with one eye open. And, well, he literally did, so she believed him.  This came in especially handy when his daughters started dating. While he fast asleep on the couch, they thought he was watching them arrive home. Nobody dared come home past curfew!

He was such a, I’m not exactly sure what to call him. He wasn’t the most loving man, in the terms that he wasn’t going to be hugging and kissing you, or saying, “I love you,” very often. But, he was a tough loving man, who made sure his family was taken care of and living life the right way.

I learned a lot from my grandfather, in what seems like the short time I knew him. I never leave the door open too long, for I used to hear, “go in or go out, choose one!” All the bugs that could get in the house, and all the warm air that could escape during the few seconds the door is open, I don’t have to worry about it. I never slam doors, for fear of hearing a haunted yell of, “don’t slam the door!” This has helped save my eardrums. And possibly most useful, I learned, at a very young age, to never eat the last bit of cereal out of the box and to never eat the last cookie in the cookie jar. This is way beyond rude; it is a death wish! Wouldn’t you say, I am a better person because of my grandfather?

I often wonder how my grandfather would like Jeff. I think they would have gotten along wonderfully! Although men aren’t usually classified as nags, my grandfather and Jeff would both qualify! I can just picture them critiquing my every move together. They also both have a tendency to pick things up off the ground and keep them! My favorites being the Bruce Springsteen shirt my grandfather found for me in a ditch, and the Burberry scarf Jeff found for me on the side of the street. Picking junk up off the ground isn’t really my thing, but I do enjoy reaping the benefits!

Aside from all of this, I hope you take a moment to reflect on the meaning of Veteran’s Day and to honor those, like my grandfather, who have fought for our great country.