This Historic Path

Recently, as I was having a friend on the phone helping me fix a computer glitch. He told me this story about his 97 year old father, an Italian immigrant. Many years ago his father escaped from being held captive and murdered by Nazi soldiers in Italy. He and his friends two friends refused to join Hilter's army. For some unknown reason...even to this day, this spry 97 year old doesn't for the life of him know why he wasn't shot, after such refusal.

The Nazi soldiers involved holding him at gun point. Rifles readied decided to let the three young Italian men go. He thought then as they walked away, they would be shot in the back. When they weren't, to say the least they were stunned to have been let go without a scratch.

Soon after the man escaped and came to America with nothing. As well did his future wife, mother of my now friend. Both became citizens. Eventually the man worked for our government.

The other day with this 97 year old Italian immigrant speaking to his son, my longtime friend stated to him, that this current crisis with COVID-19 and the politics with it, was perhaps equal to or worse than what he'd experienced during the war and the depression. Food for thought... As we are on This Historic Path.---Jody-Lynn Reicher

Comments

The Reicher's Official Holiday Letter

“When it is dark enough, you can see the stars.” ---Ralph Waldo Emerson There are many ways to shed light on seemingly impossible situations or what we would consider obstacles to our daily living. It is not always in our daily intake and output that is the measurement of a human being. It is the grind. Some people struggle with miniscule grinds; while others have bus loads to grind through. Some don’t make it. Few do. Making it, is not, not dying. It’s progressing through even when there appears no light at the end of the tunnel. That there may not even be a twinkle of a star in the nights ahead. And the human that faces that, knowing full well that they can’t change the ending to their earthly story. Yet, they consciously go through the process, has made it. They’ve lived. No matter their age, I believe that, to be one of Life’s truths. As this year has progressed, the pandemic actually blessed us. Yep. Many would not agree with that. But then, they weren’t us. They weren’t our

To Laconia and Canada Too

He began, "So, I got this deal..." Me, "Yeah?" Norman, "I went up on 23, and saw her. " Me, "Where did you go?" Norman, "Sport Spot on 23 South. And there she was." Me, "Uh oh."😊 Norman, "I'm graduating to a BMW. She was sitting there. 1986, an R80RT. A touring sportster... " Me, "What about the Yamaha, Norm?" Norman, "I'll get a buyer before I have to pick up the R80RT." It was 1987, we'd just had a semi long motorcycle ride up North together for a week. New England that'd be. Norman was all enthralled about the open road. Married just over three years at the time, and he rediscovered a new love. Me wary, yet curious. 'Maybe she'll ride easier. Less bumpy on certain roadways of upstate New York'. Norman even had me considering getting a motorcycle license. I'd driven nearly every style, engine from small military jeep to tractor trailers...

Completion of Humanness

Completion of Humanness As we arrive to the completion of the first year without Norman, I had decided long before he'd passed that I would continue to do things certain things he liked yet could no longer do. I decided I would not take a day off of fitness. I would run at least for 500 days in a row. I began that in early 2020. I'd not be concerned with the distance I'd run. It was the very thing I convinced Norman and the thing that mattered to him, from the very first discussion we had August 11th, 1981, was fitness. I loved that he was a College Boy. He loved that I was a Marine. We tickled each other's soul with such admirations. Later fitness continued as an old discussion from 1994 ...getting outside and to run no matter what. I would say to him, "Run 200 meters, then 400 meters. If it doesn't feel good, stop. Turn around and walk back home and know you did your best. That is all you can ask of yourself." I said this, knowing he would get dow

Writing Reality

Search This Blog