Meanwhile, back home, my Dad received an honorable discharge from the army because of injuries received during training. He & Mom got married October 5th, 1944. Grandma wore black to the wedding because they had the audacity to get married while her two brothers were overseas; the memory of that pains Mom to this day.
Ken suffered from shell-shock for years (that was before we had fancy-schmancy terms like "post-traumatic stress syndrome.") He NEVER talked of his experiences until a couple of years ago when my niece was writing a report on WWII & asked to interview him. He decided it was finally time to tell his story......
I, too, have no patience with the "why is this taking so long" crowd. If we're going to do this thing, it must be done well. It must be done right. It can't be rushed.
Thanks for the post Sweetie.:)
Great words of encouragement and exhortation... then, and now!
Having read of your time with m-i-l, been waiting for you to post this. So happy for you, and your loved ones, to have these treasures.
How well I remember the days of which these letters speak. There were often dark days of news, especially when a blue star was replaced with a gold one on the banner hung in the windows of the homes of many American families. There was a pall over the neighborhood for a time when the father of my friend who lived next door was killed as a Marine on Guadalcanal.
Visiting soon after, my friend's mom said... "now, now, papa would not wish you to be sad. He died in order that you might live and that you would do so with joy, not sadness". With her own heart breaking I'm sure she could encourage us to go and do our best.
Certainly the happenings of this era should drive "us to our knees" as well.
May the Lord bless you and yours richly.