As many of you may already know, I lost, temporarily at least, my grandfather. I know where he is. On the way home from Murray tonight, I was doing some reflecting and many memories came back to me. I can remember many a vacation that Mamaw & Papaw took us grand kids on. I can also remember them going on vacation with Mom, Dad, Sis, and I. It seems every vacation had something of historical & educational value to it: Philadelphia, New York Harbor, Harpers Ferry, Gettysburg, Conner Prairie, Metamora, St. Louis, and so on. As an Army veteran, there was no doubt he loved his country, the Constitution, and the idea of liberty. He also questioned the wisdom (or the lack thereof) of the actions/policies of our elected officials. His love of history rubbed off on me, I guess you could say, and thats part of the reason why I teach history. I also remember doing things he told me not to... like using the riding mower along the fence line because it would get stuck in the fence. You know, he was right. It got stuck. I went in the house and told him. He got up out of his recliner (he could see me mowing out the back window) without saying a word, and got the mower out of the fence, gashing his hand in the process. He never yelled at me for it. He just told me that he cut his hand getting the mower of the fence. Virgil Blankenship had a profound, deep, and lasting impact on my life. Thank you, Papaw. You meant more to me than words could ever say. You were, without a doubt, one of the greatest men Ive ever had the pleasure of knowing. Im so glad you were a part of my life. I hope Ive made you proud, because I was certainly proud of you.
Posted on: Thu, 05 Dec 2013 05:48:13 +0000
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