Shout Out For Veterans Day

I am a passionate liberal democrat who loves Veteran's Day! This is not an oxymoron.

Today Sam and I went to the cemetery to visit my parents as my dad was a WWII vet who always thought it important to honor our veterans and celebrate this day. Dad enlisted in the navy at 18 and was an electrician on the USS Carr, an aircraft carrier in the Pacific. He was of course captain of the ship basketball team. Uncle John parachuted into Normandy, Cousin Lee served in Vietnam, Tom flew helicopters in Panama and brother Tim flew P3 Orions and served in the first gulf war.

As if we were in a Normal Rockwell painting we happened upon the Blairsville Veterans Day parade. Blairsville, population 3500 is 43 miles east of Pittsburgh in the Conemaugh River Valley with the Conemaugh River forming 180 degrees of the town's perimeter border. It was a mill town connected by a railroad stop to the coal mines. It is also the home of my maternal ancestors and where my parents, maternal grandparents, aunts and uncles are buried except Uncle John and Aunt Mary Jane who rest in Arlington Cemetery. The parade was spectacular and the enthusiasm of the spectators equally so. It included the Blairsville High School marching band, baton twirlers, volunteer fire department, girl scouts, boy scouts, and of course veterans from several wars who walked or drove down main street in Blairsville. I cried as I cheered and waved each veteran on and cried again when I heard the national anthem and saw the vets proudly put their hands to their hearts. I remain haunted by how badly our Vietnam Vets were treated upon their return home and I felt a surge of patriotism watching these vets marching - old, young, healthy, fragile in their assortment of uniforms. Most of us can't appreciate what they've done for us or the sacrifices they've made. The notion that we liberals aren't patriotic and don't care about Veterans is pure fiction. So many of us care deeply and appreciate greatly what our vets have done for us and our country. Thank you veterans with a special shout out to Dad, Uncle John, brother Tim and cousins Lee and Tom for your service to our country. Thank you dad for helping me understand how important it is to say thank you on this day.

It was a glorious day at the cemetery, 70's, sunny with color still in the trees overlooking the valley as Sam and I sat on our yoga mat telling stories about mom, dad and the entire family assembled there. Our memories are vivid and this is a way of keeping them so. I really miss them. They taught us how to be a family and how to be there for each other and I have been a recent beneficiary of what Jackie calls our mighty army of cousins. There is comfort in knowing how much of all of them lives on in us.

Sam selected the music for the trip and we sang together reminiscent of our family trips to Blairsville when the 5 Tocci's sang in 4 part harmony. We asked mom to just mouth the words. Gratitude is the watchword for the day.