The following was well, written by a Christian friend, fellow softball player and neighbor, Mickey Donahoo. It was too good not to pass on!
Lest We forget
By Mickey Donahoo
“The day was September 12, 2010 in Goldthwaite, Texas when I heard one of our locals say, “Everyone needs to get past all of this 9/11 stuff. In fact, everyone needs to get past WWII, Korea and Iraq and get on with life.”
Recently my softball tournament team traveled to Dalton, Georgia to compete in the SPA National Playoffs and at the end of the first day of play, the SPA put on their annual celebration. The festivities included homerun derbies, batting skill competition and all star competition.
Although my wife and I had traveled over 1,000 miles to compete in softball, the part of the tournament that really stands out is not the wins, losses, great plays or the friendships made, but was the celebration remembering our nations military – the veterans who served and those who gave all that we might live in the country we have today.
As the anthem for each military group played, and their flags paraded by – one for the Army, one for the Navy, one for the Air Force, one for the Marines, one for the Coast Guard, one for the Pow/Mia’s, one for Iraqi Freedom, one for the moms who had sons and daughters serving in Afghanistan and one for the United States – there was probably not a dry eye in the entire sports complex. Tears because we do remember whom and what we owe for the country and freedom which we have today. There was also a banner at the tournament that stated, “All gave some, some gave all.”
It is because of these memories that I cannot watch the Stars and Stripes being raised at a football game and sing the National Anthem without a tear rolling down my cheek. When I see the flag being raised, I always see it being raised on Iwo Jima and many other places around the world from where so many of our young men and women and family members did not return.
In spite of the fact that some are trying to erase our history from our history books, or that some say, “We need to get over the past,” I choose to never forget the sacrifices made by some so that the rest of us can live in “the Land of the Free and the Home of the Brave.” We must remember, “Freedom is Never Free.”
However there are some things that are actually better forgotten, so if you happen to see me around town, don’t ask about the tournament – I am working on forgetting it.”
The SPA Nationals was a tournament that I did not attend because I stayed home to watch my Grandson’s team, Goldthwaite High School play their arch rival, San Saba, (Goldthwaite won in overtime), but in the past, I have proudly, walked/marched out on to the field behind the banner of the U.S. Army. It is really something to see hundreds of men and women lined up, according the their branch of services, on the ball field, band playing, people clapping – it makes you feel real good that someone else remembers!
Everyone should always remember that of all the nations we have freed from tyranny, we have only asked one thing – “Just give us the space to bury our dead.”