Tuesday, August 5, 2008

Remembering My Father

After mentioning that my father was a Vietnam veteran in my review of her book, Mrs. Lieutenant: A Sharon Gold Novel, Phyllis Zimbler Miller asked me to write a guest post for her Mrs. Lieutenant blog discussing what it was like growing up in the home of a war veteran and some of the war stories my father told me. My father's been dead for almost 9 years, and I've tried in the past to write something--anything--about him, always coming up short. Until now.

There are so many more things to be said about my father, and what I wrote does not come close to showing how caring he was, how he was a hard worker and an excellent provider, and most importantly, a wonderful husband and father. It's so hard to write about someone I miss so much, but even the little I wrote was cathartic. Thanks, Phyllis, for giving me the opportunity to immortalize a little bit of the man I knew and will love forever. I'd nearly forgotten his voice, his face, all the little things, but writing about him helped me to remember.

You can read my "tribute" to my father by clicking here.


12 comments:

Lady Blogger said...

Anna, that was absolutely beautiful. I'm sure your dad is smiling down from Heaven on you.

One of these days you should talk to my brother. Whenever he was at your house he would ask your dad lots of questions about the war. I know he enjoyed talking to him about all that he saw and did while there.

I'll never forget all those trips to the VFW with you and your family, bringing along my 15 year old brother who was dating your 15 year old sister. I have some very vivid memories!

Anonymous said...

How nice that she asked you to write and what a wonderful tribute to your father. Very nicely done.

Anna said...

Thank you both. Your comments mean a lot to me.

Lady Blogger, I vividly remember the dance that was held around Valentine's Day. The two of them were so cute! And my dad really liked your brother. He had nothing but good things to say about your family.

Serena said...

That was a great post! Your dad was a great guy, and I sometimes see him, or think I do at Washington D.C.'s Vietnam Memorial. So many veterans remind me of him...it's odd.

Anna said...

Glad you liked it, Serena! I only wish at least one of the men you saw was the original. :(

Lady Blogger said...

I was actually thinking about that Valentine's Day dance when I was reading your tribute. We went over to the VFW with you guys a lot. Adam thought very highly about your father and loved going to the VFW with us.

Dawn said...

Big step, and wonderfully done! I know memories are hard to go back to. I have a cassette tape of myself interviewing my Grandpa for a school assignment, copies have been circulated thru my family for years now. I still can't bring myself to listen to it again, he passed in 1992, but it's still very monumental to my family so I'm very grateful we kept it.(((family hugs to you)))

Anna said...

Thanks, Dawn. Even if you can't listen to the tape right now, at least you have it for when you want to. (((HUGS BACK)))

Anonymous said...

Hi, Anna. I loved reading your tribute and left comments on your post over at the author's blog.

~Shana/Literarily
http://blog.literarily.com

Anna said...

Thanks, Shana!

Anonymous said...

a wonderful tribute, Anna. I'm sure your Dad would be proud of the things you've done, and the rest of your family appreciates that you've taken the time to honor him this way.

Anna said...

Thanks. But to be honest, no one in my family has read it. I think it's too hard for my sister, and my gram and mom are not computer-savvy.