Oklahoma

Once again I am in a position needing to get ready to go somewhere and I cannot resist the urge to document something. I don’t want to lose it, the thought, the epiphany. I am at my cousin Cindy’s house and she is not here, so I decide to let the dogs out of their kennels, play with them and let them out to relieve themselves as we will not be back here for a while after we leave.
I walk outside and am struck by the peace that I feel, the overwhelming sense of home that has washed over me. I look out at the trees and look down at the red dirt of Oklahoma, I feel the wind blowing and I know that this place, this state, is my home.
Don’t get me wrong, I do love Texas and will not be moving anytime soon, it’s just that this place, this state, the one that my great grandparents moved to in the 1890’s. It is where my soul finds peace, it is a balm, it soothes me like no other state in the union does.

Wednesday evening we went to the funeral home and met with my Aunt and cousins, I got to see my Uncle one last time. The American flag was draped on his casket, so fitting, I am so happy that the VA honored him in such a way. From what my cousin Cindy and my Aunt Laura Fay told me, the VA hospital in Oklahoma City treated my Uncle with the utmost respect and dignity. They were kind and helpful to my Aunt, I know you are thinking shouldn’t that always be the case, but we all know that does not always happen. I want to acknowledge the people who treated her with such kindness.

We went back to my Aunts home where a fairly good size crowd gathered, it was wonderful seeing everyone, sad it had to be in this circumstance. The service itself was nothing short of wonderful. Two Army soldiers in full dress blues were there to send him off in great patriotic fanfare. One played Taps on the bugle, they saluted my Uncle, they made great ceremony of the folding of the flag and presenting it my Aunt and saluting once she had it in her arms. It was a fine send off for a great man, he would be proud of the way his children are rallying around their mother, his wife of 63 years. I am proud to call these people my family.

I have so much more to say about the time spent in Oklahoma but it can wait, this could not, my heart is full, my head is full, I am ready for bed.