Harter66
11-22-2017, 05:18 PM
I've been reflecting on Giving Thanks the last day or so , not that I'm not thankful for every day , but more about my historically misplaced thanks .
In my youth I was always thankful for the family and friends and of course the grub . That time was tarnished by about a 10 yr streak of lost family and friends in the midst of the holiday season and a couple of more times that the feast was hotdogs .
Growing older I was thankful to have the friends and family but in reflection perhaps I should have been thankful for those no longer with us . Bear with me . Many of those yr were folks lost to cancer and a few to age . My great grandma had lived an amazing life born in 1888 she left Nashville in a covered wagon when she was 4-5 and at the tender age of 24 drove back to Nashville . She likely read about the 2 crazy brothers in SC that flew almost 300 feet and saw the 1 small step speech live . She didn't have any real health issues but she was tired and was ready to be on her way . Another lasted only a few months after it was learned he had cancer . I suspect he had made his peace 35 yr before on the way to the beach at Iwo Jima . My dad had gone to visit and he said to him "Richard isn't hunting season ?" ," Well yeah but I wanted to spend some time with you" , "your boys got a license doesn't he ?" , " Yeah ,but " , get your axx outta here and take that boy hunting " . Well ,not being one to question his friends he had lunch and said what would be his last good bye and came home to take me hunting .
My Grandfather passed away on the 17th December some 23 yr ago he was a civilian but employed on Pearl Harbor and was locked in his job and unable to enlist having done his 3 yr hitch 36-38 . He and my grandmother taught me the value of many things . Faith , trust , family ...... forgiveness .
I'm thankful for the 2 ex-wives . 1 that taught me how to see through a mental and emotional abuser . 1 that taught m lole that no matter how good the relationship is the histories of bad and long term defensive walls no matter how thin will eventually cause it to break down . X2 did patch and repair a lot of the damage done by X1 but that of course was at a great cost to her happiness which was an unfair burden for her to bear .
Ms 3 is a trooper , no spackle or sewing machine just a couple of broke down mules leaning on one another to keep from falling down.
So this time around I think giving thanks for the friends and family that passed away on their own terms , that taught me the real value of living , that really taught me how to live , those that gave even when there wasn't much to give and later when they had given probably more than should be asked of anyone . I'm giving thanks for all of the people that taught me the hard painful lessons of life that left at inopertune times that took away the joy of so many times .
Without them and all of the heart breaking times , the loss , the metaphoric boots to the head and too often the seat of the pants there would be no grand memories of the days we want to be truly thankful for.
In my youth I was always thankful for the family and friends and of course the grub . That time was tarnished by about a 10 yr streak of lost family and friends in the midst of the holiday season and a couple of more times that the feast was hotdogs .
Growing older I was thankful to have the friends and family but in reflection perhaps I should have been thankful for those no longer with us . Bear with me . Many of those yr were folks lost to cancer and a few to age . My great grandma had lived an amazing life born in 1888 she left Nashville in a covered wagon when she was 4-5 and at the tender age of 24 drove back to Nashville . She likely read about the 2 crazy brothers in SC that flew almost 300 feet and saw the 1 small step speech live . She didn't have any real health issues but she was tired and was ready to be on her way . Another lasted only a few months after it was learned he had cancer . I suspect he had made his peace 35 yr before on the way to the beach at Iwo Jima . My dad had gone to visit and he said to him "Richard isn't hunting season ?" ," Well yeah but I wanted to spend some time with you" , "your boys got a license doesn't he ?" , " Yeah ,but " , get your axx outta here and take that boy hunting " . Well ,not being one to question his friends he had lunch and said what would be his last good bye and came home to take me hunting .
My Grandfather passed away on the 17th December some 23 yr ago he was a civilian but employed on Pearl Harbor and was locked in his job and unable to enlist having done his 3 yr hitch 36-38 . He and my grandmother taught me the value of many things . Faith , trust , family ...... forgiveness .
I'm thankful for the 2 ex-wives . 1 that taught me how to see through a mental and emotional abuser . 1 that taught m lole that no matter how good the relationship is the histories of bad and long term defensive walls no matter how thin will eventually cause it to break down . X2 did patch and repair a lot of the damage done by X1 but that of course was at a great cost to her happiness which was an unfair burden for her to bear .
Ms 3 is a trooper , no spackle or sewing machine just a couple of broke down mules leaning on one another to keep from falling down.
So this time around I think giving thanks for the friends and family that passed away on their own terms , that taught me the real value of living , that really taught me how to live , those that gave even when there wasn't much to give and later when they had given probably more than should be asked of anyone . I'm giving thanks for all of the people that taught me the hard painful lessons of life that left at inopertune times that took away the joy of so many times .
Without them and all of the heart breaking times , the loss , the metaphoric boots to the head and too often the seat of the pants there would be no grand memories of the days we want to be truly thankful for.