A sincere “Thank You” to our Veterans as we observe Veteran’s Day tomorrow, November 11.
My dad was one of the many young men called to serve in WWII. Like so many others, he was silent about his service. Whether that silence started with the war, or whether war added to an ongoing battle, silence eventually permeated nearly every aspect of his life. I never heard my dad’s heart. We, his family, were the poorer for his silence.
I don’t say this as an implication against him. I’m proud that my dad served his country.
When memories are traumatic, silence may feel safer than speaking. But silence often allows the battle to rage on in ways that are unrecognized.
A bit of my dad’s story…
My dad’s ambulance unit served in several European Countries, transporting the wounded back from field hospitals. I cannot begin to imagine what he saw, heard, smelled.
A cousin who had lost a brother in Vietnam faithfully sent dad Veteran’s Day cards. On what would be his final Veteran’s Day, I described the card’s picture and read the greeting to him. (He had been legally blind for several years.) For some reason his silence finally unlocked and he began to reminisce about his war experiences. In my forty plus years as his son, this was a first. I grabbed my laptop to record his memories while he spoke.
There was the sobering account of his corps transporting wounded German POW’s and discovering that those soldiers had been part of an earlier submarine mission seeking to find and destroy the ship carrying dad and many other GI’s across the Atlantic.
He related the humorous incident about discovering that American gurneys were too long to fit into European elevators. (On behalf of my dad and his fellow Ambulance drivers, I sincerely apologize to any European hospitals who had their gurneys come up missing in the early ’40’s.Understand that this is not an admission of actual knowledge! But just the same, please accept my apology!!! )
Dad shared numerous memories that day, giving a glimpse into his previously silent war years. Although he never again opened up about that era, he had said enough to give me a deeper understanding of his life. When the time came, it helped me to choose to forgive him.
…gives a bit of purpose to my story.
My dad’s story reminds me that although we will not all serve in a physical war, we all live in a life of battle.
Ephesians 6: 12
For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.
My dad’s battle with silence challenges me to fight for the victory that comes from speaking.Voice is the weapon needed for some warriors to find courage. My voice is the weapon that is finally ending battles my dad could not face.
This is why I write.
Revelation 12:11
They triumphed over him (satan)by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death.
If you are reading this post by email and would like to comment, please click here.
Leave a Reply