Emily & Jackson shared their birthday day, though not their birthday parties, back on New Year's Eve. Jackson turned 8, and Emily hit double-digits with her 10th birthday. Two awesome kids, whom i love dearly.
Here's a photo from Jackson's party at the skating rink. We didn't get pictures from Emily's party at build-a-bear and subsequent slumber party.
My Uncle Don, my dad's older brother, passed away the day after Christmas. I just wanted to say a few words about him.
At Don's funeral service, my dad gave a very nice eulogy, talking about how his brother basically raised him when they were young kids, after their parents' divorce. If you know my dad, and what a good man he turned out to be, then you have to believe that his brother must have been a pretty darn good surrogate parent.
As a young adult, my uncle joined the Army and was soon sent off to Vietnam, where he was a chopper pilot. I never could get any details out of him, but i have gleaned a few tidbits of his experience in 'Nam. The stories are that Don went down twice as a pilot, whether from fire or mechanical problems or whatnot, i couldn't say. One of those times, he went down behind enemy lines, and while the army knew where he was, they couldn't readily get anyone in to rescue him. So he put his survival and evasive tactics into practice until rescue came.
Don stayed in the Army for 20 years, rising to the rank of Major. He earned many awards and decorations, highlighted by the Distinguished Flying Cross, one of the highest ordered awards the military offers (if it is proper to think of it that way). Here's more about it, from Grunts Military.
The Distinguished Flying Cross is awarded to any person who, while serving in any capacity with the Armed Forces of the United States, distinguishes himself by heroism or extraordinary achievement while participating in aerial flight. The performance of the act of heroism must be evidenced by voluntary action above and beyond the call of duty. The extraordinary achievement must have resulted in an accomplishment so exceptional and outstanding as to clearly set the individual apart from his comrades or from other persons in similar circumstances.
In life, there are many ways to be a hero. In his youth, Don was a hero to my dad. In his prime, he was a hero for our country. Later in life, he was a hero to his wife, caring for her through medical problems. Throughout, he was a hero for many of us.
As for me, i will carry on his memory with my middle name, Don. I will remember him as a man of insouciant spirit fronting a quiet wisdom.
We had a nice final time together last summer, when my dad & i drove up to Oklahoma to visit him. He looked great, i thought, compared to the reports i had been hearing about the chemo and all. I was just lucky to catch him in one of the good phases. Anyhow, we 3 stayed up late into the night, sitting out on the deck, swatting bugs, telling old stories, pondering the heavens. I knew in my heart & head that it was a swan song moment, that i needed to savor it and remember it. We all knew it, but pretended it wasn't so. Let's just be normal guys and crack jokes and talk about old girlfriends. Just one more time.
I'll close by sharing an old photo of me and my brother. That's me in the Army hat. It's my Uncle Don's. We are all men, are we not? Whether now, then or later. It's in our blood, and we seek our time.
