I had the opportunity, really the privilege, to attend the funeral and memorial for a close friend's father in Lancaster, PA on January 25.
As you can tell by the picture, the military ceremony for this WW2 veteran was cold ... but it was beautiful, too. I learned about this man's life and was humbled by his journey. Like a lot of young Americans, Jim or "Pops," as he was known to his family, entered the military as a teenager. In fact, he was only 20 years old when WW2 ended.
Pops landed in France shortly after D-Day. Then, as part of the 8th Infantry Division under Gen. Patton, he and his fellow soldiers fought their way across Europe. He fought in the Ardennes Forest, in the Battle of Bastogne, and then in the Battle of the Bulge. He was in Berlin when it fell.
He was part of the very first unit of Americans to liberate the Buchenwald concentration camp. Many years later, he recounted how the experience was life-changing.
He learned to cherish life as a young man. Only six of Pops' batallion of 122 returned from the war without being wounded or killed.
After the war, he came back home to build a life and raise a family. He was a man who loved to work ... he was always building, repairing, helping neighbors, seemingly always doing something, spending time with his family, and going to church. My friend told stories about being dragged to church his whole childhood.
Pops had become a Christian in 1949. In fact, he recalled the exact date some 65 years later. In a beautiful memorial tribute, my friend said his father was best defined as an "American soldier and a Christian."
After the memorial service, I had the privilege to spend the afternoon with the family, looking at heirlooms, WW2 memorabilia, and telling stories. It was a great day.
In getting to know Pops' family, including grandchildren, sons-in-law, great-grandchildren, etc., there were kids everywhere, it hit me ... Pops had left an amazing legacy of faith and service to the nation that reflected how he saw the world and had lived his life. His beautiful family is full of great and uplifting people.
What a legacy. It challenged me to take stock, to examine the legacy that I am building and will someday leave. Our time here is brief.
Interestingly, the family had almost no knowledge at all of Pops' faithful and heroic service during the war until about 15 years ago when a family friend interviewed Pops (on videotape) and preserved the historical record for posterity. This reminded me how a lot of time we see some one in a chapter or stage of their life (i.e., an elderly person) and have no idea where they have been or who they really are. You never know who you might meet.
Today, when we see the various blustering athletes, recording artists, famous types and such talk smack about their assorted accomplishments, their conduct often stands in such stark contrast to the quiet heroes in our lives ... heroes on whose shoulders we stand.
In his memorial tribute, my friend told of how in Pops' last days he maintained an upbeat and positive outlook in the midst of tremendous pain and the certain knowledge that his time on this earth was drawing to a close. Pops continued to do little acts of kindness, like making sure that the nurses taking care of him got donuts ... and he always was polite and said "thank you" to those who were doing their job in taking care of him. Little things are often big things, and how we do them can let others know what we think of the "big" things in life.
On the day he died, Pops told my friend that each day since he came to faith in Christ in 1949 had been a great day and today ... the day he was leaving this life ... was a great day, too.
Wow. What a perspective. What an eternal perspective.
So, I had a great day with Pops' family celebrating his life on Jan. 25, 2014.
And he has reminded me that today, too, is a great day.
See you on the field soon.
