After driving in a steady, misting rain for almost an hour and a half yesterday morning, my dad and I turned off the winding, two-lane road in the middle of nowhere and pulled through the welcoming wrought-iron archway. The drab, white building we approached was situated in the middle of a well-manicured estate and there were lots of vehicles (mostly pick-em-up trucks) parked here and there. I dropped my dad off as close to the door as I could and through the persistent liquid sunshine and wipers not quite up to the task, searched for a parking spot that wouldn’t tear up the soggy, overwhelmed grass.
I arrived inside, shook the cold rain off my coat and scanned the room, looking for where my dad ended up. Before me, there were like 50 white plastic tables lined up in columns under a barrage of fluorescent white light bulbs (one kept flickering off and on…slightly annoying) with folding chairs everywhere and a steady stream of chatter coming from the sea of camouflage-laden men and women crowded inside the structure.
Where were we?
Friends, this was a gathering of many disabled war veterans, brought together to enjoy a deer hunt hosted by the generosity of local government authorities and several landowners. War heroes like my dad were situated throughout the room, sitting around, telling well-worn stories, proclaiming example after example of how life was back in “the war.” Veterans no longer able to walk spoke of the glory days when they could, complimenting their tales with how they’ve fared in days since then. Around me sat aged officers and enlisted troops missing various limbs…they proved to be larger than life as I ate lunch, listening to bits and pieces of conversations around me. Sitting to my right was a Marine…an old man still proudly wearing the Marine insignia who I found out was based out of Okinawa while serving in the Vietnam War. He was missing both of his legs, but was undaunted by that loss, instead instructing others as to how he still hunts from a deer stand to this day!
I couldn’t get over their stories…their courage…their selflessness…even their smiles and laughter among their fellow brothers and sisters in arms. These are heroes whose service and selflessness is worth emulating…these are ones who most closely embody what the Word says about love:
“Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” (John 15:13, NIV)
Much respect to these warriors of the past. May their example inspire a similar sense of service and selflessness in us. I didn’t get to hunt with my dad because of the weather which was a bummer, but LOVED spending the day with him and the other legends who crossed my path.
Enjoy your weekend, my new friends…
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