My Dad

" ... the glory of children are their fathers."
~ Proverbs 17:6

My dad has been gone for nearly thirty years now. There are many things that trigger memories of my dad - events and certain dates and significant happenings in my own life. Every year, Memorial Day is one of those triggers.

At one time, long before I was born, my dad was a soldier. He was a Bronze Star recipient, having performed meritoriously under enemy fire in Korea.

He never talked about it - at least not that remember. Not ever. Heroes just don't do that.
I actually remember hearing some things about my dad's military service from other kids in our neighborhood. They'd heard it from their dads.
I've seen the medal and read the military citation that goes along with it. I've even seen the little, yellowed newspaper clipping from the hometown newspaper about my dad in the war.

He's been gone for nearly thirty years now. And it occurred to me this Memorial Day - all these years later: He was shaped by things that I'll never understand. Being a combat veteran was just part of who he was; something I can't even imagine.

My dad was always larger that life to me. I hope somehow I'm measuring up to the standard he set.