A Few Shout Outs (or "Why I Love Texas")

When I first got back to Texas for the winter break, I (thankfully) headed up to the panhandle with my parents to spend some time with them and my grandparents instead of just opting for a larger chunk of time at the end of the trip.  I had also planned to return for a few days right before flying back out.


However, when my granddad passed, I knew I needed to be by my grandma's side as soon as possible, even though I wasn't sure if I'd be able to change my tickets.  As I prepared to call the airline, my expectations were pretty low, but when I explained the situation to the agent she not only expressed her condolences, but also began the process of getting me on an earlier flight.  We were disconnected in the process, and I got a different agent when I called back.  I explained the situation and what the other agent had been in the process of doing.  After some further discussion, checking with her supervisor, and confirming the funeral home, she was able to do an even exchange for the ticket and get me back to my family sooner.  Even though it was only a difference of a day and a half, that time was so precious to me.  Thank you, American Airlines.

Everything in west Texas is pretty spread out - there's just a lot of land and so it can take a while to get just about anywhere.  Because of that, my family decided to stay at a Hereford hotel to make the funeral arrangements a little easier.  The hotel truly went above and beyond to ensure we were all taken care of, including making every effort to make my 90+ year old grandmother as comfortable as possible, not necessarily a task to be undertaken lightly.  Although I don't believe I'll need to return anytime soon, I'd certainly encourage anyone visiting Hereford and needing accommodations to book a room there.  Thank you, Holiday Inn Express.

My dad was asked to do a slideshow for the service and was having a little trouble with it.  Since I arrived early, I decided it was a project I could take over in order to give him one less thing to worry about.  Well, the incompatibility issues between mac/pc/different operating systems/etc made a "simple" project quite a bit more complicated than it really should have been.  Not only that, but the system at the funeral home didn't have the cord that could make it all possible, either.  So, Dad and I decided to check out the only place within about a 60 mile radius that might have what we needed - the local RadioShack/hardware store.  (Yep - two-in-one...that's west Texas style.)  The poor guy was swamped, but still bending over backward to try and help us with every potential option...unfortunately, none were viable.  We swung over to Walmart, just in case, then back to RadioShack because a combination of cables would work, providing they had the second one that Walmart still lacked.  They didn't.  However, he did take the time to walk me through the process of using a different program altogether to burn (rip?) the slideshow to a DVD.  It took a little longer, but worked out much better than I expected.   All because someone took the time to offer true customer service, even knowing it wouldn't earn a sale.  Thank you, RadioShack.

I know it sounds cheesy, but I really have missed that "small town service with a smile."  It was nice to be reintroduced.  Thank you, Texas.

A Tale of Two Heroes

As I prepared to return to Texas for the long winter break, my mind was filled with thoughts of catching up on everything I'd been missing, everything from favorite foods to favorite friends and, of course, time with family.  Far from my mind was the thought of attending any funerals and although it saddens me, I'm also grateful not to add that to the list of things I've missed while overseas.

Last week, as I joined thousands of others for the memorial service of a man who willingly sacrificed so much for his country and fellow warriors, I felt privileged to have the opportunity to pay tribute to his memory, even just by attending, so that his family might further glimpse the impact of his life and feel the support of others mourning their loss.  As I listened to those closest to him talk about the way he lived his life, the depth of his faith, his love for others, and his commitment to family, I couldn't help but think of another man.  A man who shared the same values, though perhaps it looked a bit different.

As I heard about how the young man had time and again placed himself in danger to protect his comrades from enemy fire, I thought of another war, a much earlier one in a much different time, where another brave man also placed himself in danger to protect those he fought alongside.  In my mind I saw him, about seventy years ago, as he climbed out onto the bomb that was still stuck in the plane's belly because it had failed to release over enemy territory.  I remembered the story of how his efforts, rife with selfless risk, allowed his crew to land safely back in England, thereby allowing them all to complete other missions as the war drew on...a story I'd never even heard until about a year ago when his mind was no longer able to keep his most haunting memories of war at bay.  I remember how he told me that wars don't ever really end, but they send you home all the same.  In that moment I saw how his war, so carefully hidden for so many years, had indeed continued on for so long even after victory had been proclaimed in the streets.

But the fact that he acted bravely in the face of danger or that he was able to do so well while battling such dark memories weren't what, in my opinion, made this man a true hero.  No, like the one mentioned above, it was more - it was in the way he lived his life, the depth of his faith, his love for others, and his commitment to family.  Most of all, I remember a man who was patient enough to take a restless little girl with him fishing (knowing full well that meant he wouldn't catch anything!) or to check the ag fields for pests, a man who put great stock in academic achievements, a man who promoted generosity by ensuring I never let an offering plate pass me by without tossing in at least a dime and a nickel, a man who laughed whenever he had the chance, and a man who loved his family so fiercely that at times it was even almost intimidating.  I am so proud that I was able to call this man "Granddad" and I can't help but look forward to the day when he'll lead me through the heavenly gardens, put on his boyish grin, and proudly tell me there haven't been any of those dadburned aphids since he arrived.