REVEREND WINDHORSE
WORLD WAR II HEROS
Some Heros get famous...most don't. Took me awhile
to understand just exactly what my Dad went through, and
the fortitude Mom had back home, during World War II. One
day, it became clear to me: I have two HEROS for Parents!
I needed the outside help of PBS TV and books, depicting
and honoring the hardships our troops and homeland
endured...giving them the face my Dad couldn't talk about.
He told me a little about how he and other Soldiers would
give their chocolate to starving, homeless kids who rooted
around in the garbage to salvage banana skins and other
life-sustaining treasures. He told me a little about what it
was like to live in a foxhole with bullets flying over his head,
being wet and cold and watching his toes turn to frost. I
learned that he guarded the prisoners because one of them
sketched a beautiful likeness of me in pencil and signed it.
I wish I could thank that man. It was the first inkling I had
as that young child...that people are people; that German
artist, forced to take up arms instead of a paintbrush
showed his compassion in that wonderful sketch. It tells
me something about my Dad, too...that the good heart I see
him reach out with to his Grandkids and 12Great-Grandkids
(one in the Navy) could even span the barbed wire of
opposition~~he is a Humane being and that German
prisoner of war was able to see that.
I remember the tokens we had to have to buy sugar,
butter, coffee, meat. Although my Mom became the keeper
of the store, and all food we could want was right there, my
young mind had to learn that we were all in this together;
Mom had to monitor, dole out food, and use only her share.
I'm proud that my Parents had/have that integrity and
passed it on to me and my Brother. I'm still in awe at
how Mom stepped into Dad's shoes to carry on at home;
stocking the store my GrandDad and Dad and his brothers
had built, dealing with customers that were neighbors,
bookkeeping, and learning to butcher meat...in and out of
a walk-in icebox, carrying sides of beef....oh, and taking
care of me, too. My Aunt Ronnie, my Godmother, was
her assistant. You hear a lot about the brave women who
worked in the factories, "Rosie," building the war machine.
I haven't seen anything acknowledging the backbone of
the Nation who kept the homefires burning and people
fed and hugged; who ran businesses that was usually
the man's realm: the "Tootie's" and "Ronnies!"
Mom is my HER--O...and Dad is my HE-RO.
My Heart is so filled with regard, compassion and
amazement at what they endured and survived...I weep
with anguish that it was necessary and still goes on.
This is one way to repay those Her--os and He-ros. To
speak. Because others spoke, I began to resolve the loss,
terror and anger this Child experienced. Warmongers took
my Dad away. It's possible my tender mind thought he
abandoned me. That's my belief. I had to begin to get the
whole picture before that could surface, and I could deal with
the whole thing. They took my Dad from me. I'm so grateful
he could return, only as scarred as he was. Psychologically,
the depth of the wounds doesn't show. He had some difficult
times when he returned, and that spilled over on Mom and
I and took its toll on Dad.
These days we have much more assistance in place for
returning soldiers, yet the ravages of war make some of
them so shaken that recovery is almost impossible, and
some continue to wage war on their families and neighbors
after returning home. Let's all cultivate peace within our
own minds and hearts. One by one we can become a
peaceful species.
When we pray, we ask. That's a good thing.
Asking defines that we have paid enough attention to see
the need to ask for help. When we meditate, we receive a
serenity that gives the sense of peace, and the experience of
non-judgementalism. Let's do both...pray and meditate,
and become the stewards of our own actions.
Let us also Meditate...that's when we get to HEAR the
Answers to our Prayers!!
BY THE WAY...IT TOOK OUR GOVERNMENT FORTY~~
THAT'S 40, FOLKS, YEARS TO MAIL MY FATHER HIS MEDALS
OF HONOR...AND HE WAS NEVER ACKNOWLEDGED IN
PERSON. HOW MANY MEN AND WOMEN NEVER GOT TO SEE
THEIR AWARDS FOR BRAVERY AND SERVICE BECAUSE
THEY DIED WAITING?????
And how many of you warbabies out there, like me, weren't
so sure that was your real Dad you were being introduced
to?? "You're Daddy's coming home," they told me.
Five years old...wondering..."How do I know he's my Daddy??"
He came home in October 1945. In May of 1946 is when I
remember having a Daddy~~accepting him as Daddy. He
built me a swing; the best kind of swing! A rope swing with
the knotched wood plank seat. I will never forget that swing,
with the apple tree that housed it in full, fragrant, exquisite
bloom...blushing blossoms bobbing in joy with me as I
pumped higher and higher in their exquisite fragrance.
Here's my beginning of this Tribute and opening of my Heart
to deal with this incredible issue that had once sapped so
much of my energy...to express the Love I have and need
to deliver. Thankfully, because some Veterans began to
speak, our Veterens are better remembered today and
honored and assisted.
THANK YOU DAD AND MOM FOR BEING THE WONDERFUL,
FORTUITOUS PEOPLE YOU ARE THAT ENDURED HARDSHIP
AND HORROR AND RESOUNDED WITH REVERENCE FOR
ALL LIFE. YOU EARNED THE PRIVILEGE OF YOUR
GRAND-DIMENSIONAL FAMILY, AND WE~~ARE SO LUCKY
TO HAVE YOU. PLEASE STAY WITH US LONG BEYOND
YOUR 78 AND SOON-TO-BE 80 YEARS.
Update: Mom turns 85 this year, 2006..Dad approaches 87.
Update May, 2008:
Mom is of brilliant mind and gets around admirably at 87
years of age.
Dad, soon to be 89, also brilliant of mind, is in hospital,
challenged by problems contracted, I think, largely by his
time in Europe fighting and surviving for this country's and
his own, freedom...walking on frostbitten feet, living in the
elements and under constant stress. Thankfully he is one
who was able to keep reality present for himself for the
most part, unlike the many unfortunate veterans today
who take their own lives.
These are modern soldiers...
the reality of war and comradery remains the same.
YOUR UNIQUE WEDDING CEREMONY YOUR WAY
MEDICINE WOMAN AROMATHERAPY AVALOKITESVARA GRACE
GRAND TERMINUS DRAGON SYMBOLOGY
WHEN WE SPEAK EXQUISITE EARTH NATIVE AMERICAN
KAYO SNOMO FRIENDS MEET REAL FRIENDS
SHIVAMOKSHANANDA (Robert C. Sohn) MATAJI (Tina Sohn)
WWII HEROS OUR YOUNG WARRIORS IN THE WIND
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