Dear John: Thanks for coming to my FR Birthday celebration! 
Posted on 07/02/2002 4:07:54 AM PDT by Chairman_December_19th_Society
We will not tire, we will not falter, and we will not fail! [President Bush]
Good morning!! Do not let the victims of the attacks on New York and Washington, nor the brave members of our Nation's military who have given their lives to protect our freedom, die in vain!!
Please take a moment to upset a liberal and a Ninth Circus Court Judge by honoring our flag:
In the three-ring circus in Arlington, it was revealed that last week Moussaoui filed court papers that referred to The Evil One as "my brother in Islam and my Father in Jihad" and added "May Allah protect him."
He also stated that prosecutors would have to prove he was in Afghanistan to secure a conviction. Problem is - Moussaoui has already admitted as much.
NASDAQ closed yesterday lower than its post-9/11 low.
The FBI reports a female passenger allegedly tried to gain entrance to an airplane cockpit.
And scientists have linked smoking high amounts of marijuana to scschizophrenia.
For AMERICA - The Right Way, I remain yours in the Cause, the Chairman.
One of your more intelligent come-backs...........
No. It becomes Chicago North.
You had to know that they'd pick you. :)
Dear John: Thanks for coming to my FR Birthday celebration!
Glad you enjoyed the picture.
When I retired from the Air Force, the men and women who worked for me honored me with this painting of the Wall entitled "Reflections":
It hangs in our home with this poem it inspired, written by Partick Camunes, framed and hung below (I still get teary-eyed every time I read it..):
At first there was no place for us to go until someone put up that "Black Granite Wall." Now, everyday and night, my Brothers and my Sisters wait to see the many people from places afar file in front of this "Wall."
Many stopping briefly and many for hours and some that come on a regular basis. It was hard at first, not that it's gotten any easier, but it seems that many of the attitudes towards that Vietnam war that we were involved in have changed. I can only pray that the ones on the other side have learned something and more "Walls" as this one, needn't be built.
Several members of my unit, and many that I did not recognize, have called me to The Wall by touching my name that is engraved upon it. The tears aren't necessary but are hard even for me to hold back. Don't feel guilty for not being with me, my Brothers and Sisters. This was my destiny as it is yours, to be on that side of The Wall. Touch the Wall, my Brothers and Sisters, so that we can share in the memories that we had. I have learned to put the bad memories aside and remember only the pleasant times that we had together.
Tell our other Brothers and Sisters out there to come and visit me, not to say Good Bye but to say Hello and be together again.......... even for a short time................ and to ease that pain of loss that we all share.
Today, an irresistible and loving call summons me to TheWall.
As I approach I can see an elderly lady... and as I get closer, I recognize her.......It's Momma! As much as I have looked forward to this day, I have also dreaded it because I didn't know what reaction I would have.
Next to her, I suddenly see my wife and immediately think how hard it must of been for her to come to this place and my mind floods with the pleasant memories of 30 years past. There's a young man in a military uniform standing with his arm around her......My God!......he has to be my son. Look at him trying to be the man without a tear in his eye. I yearn to tell him how proud I am, seeing him standing tall, straight and proud in his uniform.
Momma comes closer and touches The Wall and I feel the soft and gentle touch I had not felt in so many years. Dad has crossed to this side of the Wall and through our touch, I try to convey to her that Dad is doing fine and is no longer suffering or feeling pain. I see my wife's courage building as she sees Momma touch The Wall and she approaches and lays her hand on my waiting hand. All the emotions, feelings and memories of three decades past flash between our touch and I tell her that........ it's all right......... carry on with your life and don't worry about me.
I can see as I look into her eyes that she hears and a big burden has been lifted from her on wings of understanding.
I watch as they lay flowers and other memories of my past.
My lucky charm that was taken from me and sent to her by my CO..... a tattered and worn teddy bear that I can barely remember having as I grew up as a child.... and several medals that I had earned and were presented to my wife. One of them is the Combat Infantry Badge that I am very proud of and I notice that my son is also wearing this medal. I had earned mine in the jungles of Vietnam and he had probably earned his in the deserts of Iraq.
I can tell that they are preparing to leave and I try to take a mental picture of them together, because I don't know when I will see them again. I wouldn't blame them if they were not to return and can only thank them that I was not forgotten.
My wife and Momma near The Wall for one final touch and so many years of indecision, fear and sorrow are let go. As they turn to leave I feel my tears that had not flowed for so many years, form as if dew drops on the other side of The Wall.
They slowly move away with only a glance over their shoulders. My son suddenly stops and slowly returns. He stands straight and proud in front of me and snaps a salute. Something draws him near The Wall and he puts his hand upon etched stone and touches my tears that had formed dew drops on the face of The Wall...... and I can tell that he senses my presence and the pride and the love that I have for him. He falls to his knees and the tears flow from his eyes and I try my best to reassure him that it's all right and the tears do not make him any less of a man.
As he moves back wiping the tears from his eyes, he silently mouths, God Bless you, Dad......
God Bless, YOU, Son......We WILL meet someday but in the meanwhile, go on your way......There is no hurry.......There is no hurry at all.
As I see them walk off in the distance, I yell out to THEM and EVERYONE there today, as loud as I can,.........THANKS FOR REMEMBERING and as others on this side of The Wall join in, I notice that the U.S. Flag ..Old Glory ..that so proudly flies in front of us everyday, is flapping and standing proudly straight out in the wind today from our gathering numbers this day.....
.........and we shout again....
and ....again..... and again
..........THANKS FOR REMEMBERING..........
........THANKS FOR REMEMBERING......
May we never forget...
JimRob, sorry 'bout the excessive use of bandwidth!
That is pretty much the precedent by the SCOTUS.
Bottom of the hour news said that U.S. forces have come under fire in Afghanistan...
Now I can relax for a little bit.
Ever look at how much of the budget comes from tickets in some areas? There are towns where it is more than half of the town budget.
Thank you for your service....:-)
Continuing prayers for our brave men and women who willingly place themselves in harms way to protect all of us...
A couple of years ago, Mrs. Rivendell and I had the opportunity to vist The Wall. We have/will never be able to put into words the feelings that ran through us as we placed our hands on engraved names of those who gave their very life's blood in the fight for Freedom...
I consider it my deep privilege to have served our great Nation and the people who belive in Her...
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