Tom

living out life
2008-08-31 22:41:48 (UTC)

Labor Day

Labor Day brings about sad memories for me because my
grandfather died on Labor Day in 1992. The holiday fell on
September 7th that year and I was in the Air Force
stationed at Hill AFB, Utah. My mom called us early on
Labor Day to let me know he had been taken to the hospital
and I managed to catch a plane a few hours later.
Unfortunately, he died before I arrived in Florida.

Born on January 20, 1919, Milton Herbert Oliver was a
veteran of the United States Navy and served on the U.S.S.
YR-47 during WWII. The YR-47 was a supply ship and he was
the cook. From everything I know about him he loved
cooking. I know he cooked a lot when I spent the night
with him. One of the meals that he really liked to make
was fish. It wasn't unusual to go to his house and be
served fish and grits. For some reason, he also liked to
eat his fish with cane syrup. He would pour the syrup in
the plate and then "sop" it up with the fish. I'm not sure
how he came about this particular delicacy, but I never
really cared for it.

There are many good memories of my grandfather. He took me
hunting and fishing. He showed me how to farm. He talked
to me like I was an adult and he listened to me when I
talked to him. He did his best to teach me wrong from
right and he always went to church on Sunday.

He was especailly diligent in teaching me to respect other
people and their belongings. One time, when I borrowed
something from him I sent it back to his house with my
brother who happened to be going that way. My brother
returned it to me and said that he refused to accept it.
When I went to my grandfather's house he scolded me in a
stern voice and told me something that I have never
forgotten. He said, "Son, if you borrow something then you
need to return it yourself. Don't send it back with
someone else." To this day, I still follow his advice.

So, tomorrow will come and I will wake up thinking about
my grandfather just like I do every Labor Day. There's a
Christian song that always makes me think of him. It's by
Geoff Moore and the title of it is "When I Get Where I'm
Going". The song is about dying and going to heaven and I
want to leave you with the part that pulls on my heart:


I'm gonna walk with my granddaddy
And he'll match me step for step
And I'll tell him how I've missed him
Every minute since he left.

Yeah, when I get where I'm going
There'll be only happy tears
I will shed the sins and struggles
I have carried all these years
And I'll leave my heart wide open
I will love and have no fear
Yeah, when I get where I'm going
Don't cry for me down here.




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