TSO brings the goodness…

I hope this day finds you safe in home and hearth with family. Say a prayer for those in the military on duty world-wide who protect our freedoms, and the police, fire/EMS pulling the duty at home…

Memories…

As I sit here in a warm kitchen sipping a cup of coffee, the turkey is in the oven, and even though I can’t be with family, I have friends coming to supper tonight, bringing the gifts of food and company.

I can’t help remembering back to being a little boy some 65 years ago, I can only give thanks that I’ve made it this far. I remember the first Tonka toys (what I wouldn’t give to still have them), the first bike, and riding over to my friends houses to see what they got and playing for hours…

Growing up, learning to drive, first girlfriends, sports, hunting, and family and friends around the holidays, without a care in the world.

Then the military, some years Christmas was a string of tinsel in the shop in some overseas location and a box of cookie crumbs.  Other years it was taking the watch so another sailor could have Christmas with his wife and kids. And then it was with my family, those first Christmases with my daughters, watching them tear into the wrapping paper with glee, and playing as much with the boxes as the dolls and other toys.

Now I get to watch that for another generation and I’m truly humbled by it.  And thankful I made it this far.  I also can’t help but remember those that didn’t. the ones who for a myriad of reasons aren’t spending time with their families, because we buried them along the way, or they are standing the duty in those far flung locations far from home.

nuff said…