Toward the end of July and first of August my wife and I went on vacation. Returning to my home town in the mountains of Oregon. Let’s not forget the big city too. Portland where I lived for almost 30 years. That is where my children reside and my grand babies.
This trip was extra exciting because I got to meet my new granddaughter for the first time. Oh what a treat that was for me. I had not seen my grandson for over a year and he has sure grown like a weed. Come play with me was his favorite saying. He does love his trucks and cars.
It was a delight to visit my children, family and old friends and I miss them already now that I am back to the daily routine. But there was something different this time returning home. Or maybe I have not looked close enough before and it passed me by. The more I return home the more it stays the same. My mom hasn’t changed much. Except the complaints of not being able to see as well as she use to. She is getting cataracts and there is not much they can do until as the doctor stated they have to get ripe before we operate. While there mom was headed to another doctor looking for a second opinion. I haven’t heard the outcome so we shall see.
While I was visiting my mom’s (the home where I grew up) I stumbled on something old and something new. I was sitting in one of the big easy chairs reading a magazine on middle America. As I turned the pages of the articles I looked up and starring me in the face was the American Flag. I probably walked past it a coupe hundred times in my visits home and never thought anything more.
It did not occur to me until I was reading the article that I was sitting in middle America. Of down to earth values. Trust and pride in our nation standing right there between the TV and the Stove. This was the symbol that I went to war to protect. So it could stand right there in the living room reminding everyone who entered that this is the United States of America. For the home of the brave and the land of the free.
That is how it is in sleepy middle America. One day this country will wake up and realize what’s old is new again. That this country is made up of ordinary people. People with cataracts and only wishing they could see!
