IN 1950..., MY GRANDFATHER, WHILE STILL LIVING IN EAST GERMANY, HAD HIS OWN MACHINE SHOP.… THE DREAM OF BEING A BUSINESS OWNER. BUT HE WAS THREATENED CONSTANTLY … BY THE GOVERNMENT. HIS DAUGHTER (MY MOM) WAS DENIED ENTRANCE TO HIGHER EDUCATION ... AS HE WAS LABELED A CAPITALIST. THE WAR TOOK A TOLL ON THEM AND THEY LOST THEIR HOUSE. BUT THEY WERE ALIVE AND BEGAN RE-BUILDING. ONE DAY, WHILE WORKING IN HIS BUSINESS, A BULLET FLEW THROUGH HIS WINDOW AND GRAZED GRANDPAS FOREHEAD. HE CAME HOME WITH A RED BLOOD-STAINED BANDANA ON HIS HEAD. HE DECIDED IT WAS TIME TO ESCAPE TO THE WEST. AT NIGHT, A SMALL GROUP OF MEN LEFT THEIR WIVES AND CHILDREN … TO FIND FREEDOM. MOM AND GRANDMA STAYED BEHIND. THEY WERE CONSTANTLY HARASSED BY THE POLICE BECAUSE THEY COULD NO LONGER TRACK MY GRANDFATHER. SOMEHOW GRANDMA HELD A STIFF UPPER LIP, UNTIL SHE HEARD FROM GRANDPA AGAIN ... THAT HE MADE IT, AND IT WAS NOW THEIR TURN TO MAKE THE CROSSING. GRANDPA AND GRANDMA TOOK CHANCES … BECAUSE THEY WOULD NOT LIVE IN TYRANNY. HE MADE IT … AND ONE YEAR LATER, MOM AND GRANDMA LEFT EVERYTHING THEY HAD BEHIND …. EXCEPT MOMS MUSICAL INSTRUMENT, HER ACORDIAN …. SO THAT SHE CAN PLAY FOR OTHERS, EARN SOME FOOD, AND KEEP A SONG OF HOPE IN THEIR HEARTS. THEY MADE IT TO THE WEST. THEY WOULD DO IT AGAIN TODAY …TO RISK ALL … TO BE FREE. THUS, MY REASON …. TO FIGHT FOR FREEDOM...IN THE LAND OF THE FREE. HAVING EXPERIENCED BOTH SIDES OF THE BERLIN WALL AS A YOUNG BOY ... VISITING THE RELATIVES THAT DID NOT TAKE THE CHANCE THAT MY GREAT PARENTS DID ... I TOO KNOW WHAT FREEDOM LOOKS AND SMELLS LIKE. AND YES ... WE NEED A WAKE UP CALL.
Posted on: Tue, 19 Nov 2013 05:12:06 +0000
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