Our Veteran’s

Our Veteran’s

I thought I really knew about all the holidays commemorating our veterans

Who took the time to serve in the military but

I didn’t know enough until the day I lost “Papa”

Travis wasn’t my Papa but was my daughter’s Papa.

He was my Father-in-Law who I should have honored on the

Days dedicated to the life of our soldiers.

I wish I had but it isn’t too late for you.

You see my honoring him was in the tears I shed at his funeral

Monday, June 29, 2015.

I did this while I was at the church when a service man came in and saluted

Travis while he lay lifeless in a cold, bronze colored casket.

That wasn’t all that happened.

Towards the end Taps began to play and my tears began to fall.

Then this Vietnam vet with a long ponytail, white with age and tattoos covering his

arms came again to salute

Travis and thank him for serving our country.

He then carefully handed the folded flag to Letha, his beloved

Wife. I now ask myself why couldn’t we have saluted him while he was alive

And told him how much it meant to us that he served time in that dense jungle in

Vietnam for a war he didn’t even believe in. In this I hope to convey don’t wait until

Your loved one is looking down from above seeing the tears of someone who

Should’ve taken the time to say, “Thank you, dear Papa for serving our country.”

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