Yesterday was Veteran’s Day here in the US.
A day of parades and celebrations. Honoring those who served our country.
Social media exploding with remembrances, well wishes and much gratitude.
So many seemed to want to out do the next in offering their heartfelt pride and thanks.
Free haircuts to free meals awaited them.
A couple told me how amazed they were with the outpouring of love shown to them.
It wasn’t always the case. When I was a kid, the Vietnam War was so unpopular, returning service men and women wanted no part of being the center of attention. The reaction given to them was almost always negative.
I once spoke to my Dad, a veteran of World War II, about enlisting myself. To be like him.
And I had thought enlisting would be better than waiting to be drafted.
However, to my surprise, he advised against it. He knew the difficulties, the scorn and ridicule facing returning heroes.
He didn’t want me to experience it.
There’s one more thing about Veteran’s day.
I was missing something.
A tradition I had started many years ago.
A tradition I had got away from the last couple of years.
And yesterday I realized what I’d been missing.
My dad, the WWII vet, retired from as a meat cutter back in 1987. Not long after he started his 2nd career working at a local hard ware store. It was when he started that job, that I, a state employee and having the Veteran’s Day holiday off from work, would visit him working at the store.
I’d jokingly thank him for having served so I could get a day off! We laughed at the humor and irony of the situation. Sometimes we’d have a cup of coffee, other times I’d watch him helping customers.
Or always listen to him describe people he encountered. He sometimes invented names.
I often saw him at the store throughout the years, but without fail, every Veteran’s Day, I visited with him and thanked him for my day off.
And yesterday, when I woke up to enjoy my holiday from work, I realized what I was missing.
Our tradition.
I was missing my visit with my dad.
Thanks again for the day off, Dad.
JT