So here's the short of it, 
It's the Anniversary of Pearl Harbor...

And here's the long.

I can remember my Dad telling the story of Pearl Harbor.  He was a young boy in high school.  His Dad had died and as the oldest child and only son, he felt the responsibility of helping take care of his Mother and little sisters.  He worked at the Boston Store and as an usher at the Margie Grand Theater where he would have seen the news reels about the war.

His recollection of that day -- he went to Sunday School and Church and then came home for a quick lunch. He went with some friends "up on Ivy Hill" as he would say, to play ball. He heard that "the Japs had bombed Pearl Harbor" in the late afternoon on his way home.  He would always say that was the day that changed his life forever.  It was years before Dad would talk with his children about exactly how that day changed him forever. But he did finally share - A Name In The Sand became his voice not only for us, but his scions.

Dad raised his children to be patriotic, thoughtful, and reflective.  The three of us have grown into good people who have different views on many things.  All three of us love our country.  The anniversary of Pearl Harbor is always a time of reflection and of course a time of remembering Dad and the strong influence he was in our lives.

Today on FaceBook one of the people I grew up with said that "in this day and time and under this current president it is important that real Americans never forget".  I'm reflecting on that.  I wonder what a real American is.  I think I'm one; I think my brothers are as well.  We are all three patriotic; we all three want what's best for our country. Of course we have different views of what that "best" really is.  But, we really are all three real Americans.  I'm really sad that there are those on both sides of this political divide that believe those who don't believe as them aren't "real Americans".  I hope we can get through that and begin to see our diversity as our strength.

Today, all day, I've thought about those men who were at Pearl Harbor - and especially those who  made the ultimate sacrifice.   I've also thought so much about those like my Dad who would have their lives forever changed.