RESPECTFULLY DIFFERING...

“It's very dramatic when two people

come together to work something out. 

It's easy to take a gun and annihilate your opposition,

but what is really exciting to me is to see people

w/differing views come together & finally respect each other.”

Fred Rogers

from The World According to Mr. Rogers:

Important Things to Remember

 

November is a time for elections...for Thanksgiving...and for Veterans Day!  This post is a hodgepodge of patriotism and dissent.  First off is 'a thumbnail sketch of one patriot'...Michael Beall.

 

Michael served this country well for thirty-two years...first in the Texas National Guard...beginning in 1947 until his retirement in 1979...Abilene, Texas to Ft. Leavenworth, Kansas. 

 

In 1947 he was a Freshman at Abilene Christian College...living in the old barracks.  His dad had attended the same school when it was Childers Classical Institute (established in 1906)...Benjamin R. Beall played on the football team along with Don Morris who became President of the school in 1940. 

 

M actually dreamed of becoming a Vet...he loved animals...but his dad said, "You'll go to Abilene or you won't go anywhere."  So, off the 17 yr. old handsome hunk went.  He definitely disliked being in the dorm early so when one of his roomies always came in late on Monday nights?  How'd he do that?  (M enjoyed dating and staying out late...that was prior to my entrance in his life! Ha, ha!)

 

Eureka...that 'late guy' was in the National Guard...so that's how Michael began what would eventually become his number one career...!  Oh boy, little did he know!

 

He left college after he finished his Sophomore year...decided that wasn't for him.  So back home and the Oklahoma National Guard for awhile.  The 'little did he know' came when he was mobilized with the 45th Division in 1950, deploying to South Korea for the conflict there.  He returned to the U.S. in mid 1952 and was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant continuing service w/the National Guard...along with his commission as Vasca's husband.  Ta-Dah...I won the gold ring.

 

To make our ends meet he was a 'weekend warrior' until he applied for and was accepted as an Active Duty Captain in the Transportation Corps. of the U.S. Army.

 

All of the above is part of the thread of this post...he was introduced to the Active Duty career during the Cuban missile crisis when John F. Kennedy was president.  We moved to our next assignment (Greece) the weeks following Kennedy's assassination and burial.  Two years later he left that assignment for the war in Viet Nam.

 

We lived any and everywhere; the six of us were 'good soldiers' and very proud of our country...we loved serving. 

 

One of our favorite 'houses' was at Ft. Sill Oklahoma...only the second time we had post housing.  We lived in an old historic home facing one of the parade fields...talk about welling over with patriotism...oh wow! 

 

When the troops paraded...or when taps was played each evening...or when the national anthem was played?  Oh what a thrill that gave our four sons and their mom!  Even now those things send tingles up and down my spine!  Well, to this day I can't sing songs about America w/o crying!!!

 

Things have changed drastically since those days, those times.  I don't recall so much vicious rhetoric as we have these days.  I don't recall so much division and hatred that seems to pervade our lives.

 

I've tried sharing my thoughts and views with those who have opposing views and thoughts...I think all of us should try doing that.  Rather than condemning someone for being on the opposite side of the fence politically why can't we peaceably and respectfully talk about it?

 

If I only read or listen to one side ~ how will I ever know what's being said or written by the other side?  What if you only listen to 'your side' how will you ever understand 'my side'?  Perhaps we don't want to understand the 'other side'...if so...then how will this wonderful country of ours ever hope to be united again?

 

My wonderful dad would never vote anyway but the straight Democratic ticket. Michael and I have voted both ways...to me, the character...the integrity of those vying for an office has great influence.  With my dad, politics was off limits...period.

 

How about a bit of patriotic drama and excitement in our lives...

I loved the way Mr. Rogers put it...
the way he spoke about coming together and working things out...

"What's really exciting to me is to see people with differing views come together & finally respect each other.”

 

I also love how President Reagan put it...(okay, I love a lot);

"The time has come to turn back to God and reassess our trust in Him for the healing of America."

 

Let's come together, respect each other, walk with God...and be healed.

 

By the way, it begins with me! 

 

From my heart...to yours,

Vasca