Sunday, September 11, 2011
Like Everyone Else, My 9/11 Remembrances
I ask your indulgence as I, like so many others, share my remembrances of that day 10 years ago, September 11, 2001.
I lived in Antioch, California. My house was at the top of a hill that provided some interesting views depending on where you looked. I will talk more about that later.
I woke up that morning at 5:30 (Pacific Time) as was my habit. It was my niece’s 10th birthday and I remember thinking that I needed to call her during the day. I was excited to get going and get to work. I was an inside sales rep and September had started as a great sales month. We received a bonus for making our sales goal and an extra bonus for going over our bonus by a certain percentage. The first 10 days had been very productive and I was already close to make my first goal. So yes, I was excited about getting to work that Tuesday morning.
As was my habit, I went down to my kitchen to make breakfast. That day is so imprinted on my brain that I even remember the details of my breakfast. I usually have eggs in some form and that morning I was sautéing spinach and mushrooms to go with the eggs. I flipped on the television like I still do every morning. I put on the local Fox affiliate and I immediately saw the pictures of the first hit on the World Trade Center Tower. It was a minute or two after 6:00 local time.
I went back to the stove which gave me a direct view of the television. The eggs were in the pan and I was stirring my eggs, spinach, and mushrooms . Just as I looked up, Flight 175 hit the second tower. I will never forget the feeling in the pit of my stomach while realizing what had just happened.
I ate my breakfast, transfixed to the news. Normally, I would have channel surfed to all of the news networks and anywhere else to see if any of them had different information. That morning, however, I never touched the remote.
I ate my breakfast almost without thought. Watching nervously and anxiously. The world was changing in front of our eyes. Then came the first unconfirmed reports about a plane hitting the Pentagon and about another crashing in Pennsylvania. All planes were being grounded. I remember thinking, “how is this going to get worse?”
While watching the news, the normal time for me to leave for work passed. My start time at work passed. Finally, I decided I needed to head to work. I know it would not be a normal day but thought I should go in. As I was gathering my things together, the first tower collapse occurred. My question on how it could get worse had just been answered. Listening on the radio as I traveled to work, I heard of the second tower’s collapse. My mom called me to ask if I had heard of the second tower. She then brought it to my attention of the likely sacrifice of the firemen and police that likely died by going into the towers.
*************************************************************
The news continued to come in throughout the day. News with which is so familiar to all of us. The citizen heroes of Flight 93. The heroes at the Pentagon. The NYFD, NYPD, and the Port Authority police.
The 19 hijackers. (On a personal note, I hope the souls of those bastards suffer personally at the hands of satan in hell and that each day is worse than the day before.)
My niece’s 10th birthday party was cancelled. I remember she told her mom that she didn’t know how she was supposed to feel. She had turned 10 but this terrible tragedy happened on that same day.
At work, I never even made my goal that month. People stopped buying. Eventually, I lost my job. I was laid off because sales slowed so much. The economy took a turn for the worse for a while.
************************************************************
But the most indelible image I have from September 11, 2001 was from that evening, after the sun had gone down. At the beginning of this article, I mentioned the interesting views that were available from where my house was located. While taking my dogs for their evening walk, looking to the south from my street, I used to watch the inbound planes for the San Francisco airport. I could tell when San Francisco had heavier fog as I could watch the lights of the planes come in high and then do a big wide spiral and they got in line and circled before landing. They would do a big spiral. I learned how to tell what level meant that any particular plane was next to land.
There was also a moderately active commuter airport relatively close to my house. On clear nights, there was usually several small planes flying overhead both inbound and outbound. We also had an occasional flight heading to Oakland airport that would pass through my community’s airspace. There always were lights from planes somewhere in the sky.
On the night of September 11, however, all flights had been grounded. When I went outside that evening, there were no planes in the air. No small aircraft with their light buzzing as they passed over. No flights heading to Oakland coming in on their final approach. And there were no flights circling for SFO. The sky was still and quiet. Most businesses had closed and people were staying home with their families.
It seemed as if the world was on pause. Maybe it was. Our country and the world has changed significantly in the last 10 years. As we continue to live our lives, I think we all should take moments in time to reflect on that day. I know it is a cliché but we should never forget. We should never forget the images, the pain, the sacrifice, and the way we felt that day and the days immediately following. We need to remember that there is evil in the world. I also believe that if we remember the past proof of that evil, the less likely we are to have it demonstrated to us anew.
And when we reflect, we need to move forward with resolve and determination. In the words of one of the heroes from Flight 93, Todd Beamer, “Let’s Roll!”
©2011, Eddy Seegers
Saturday, September 10, 2011
Reaching the Summit
The struggles of the climb is forgotten in the exhilaration of reaching the summit.
~(This is one version of many quotes of a similar nature.)
This story goes back many years to my days of playing high school football. I played on the varsity team for 3 years. Not saying much since we didn't have a junior varsity team. During my three years we won a grand total of 1, 2, and, then the triumphant senior year, 4 games during my career.
My sophomore year, I was a small player on a small team. I didn't get on the field very much that year. Early on, we played a team that wasn't really a rival but we did play them year after year. Their nickname was the Wildcats.
We played them my sophomore year at their stadium which was right next to their school. In fact, our "dressing room" was a class room. When we left the building to go to the field, we were behind the bleachers filled with their fans. Those fans would turn around and and chant, "Cat food, cat, food!" as we made our way to the field. It was made even louder as the chants would echo off the building.
What started as a close game, became a rout by the time it ended, with my school taking one of the worse defeats in its history. After the game, their coach came over to our coach and apologized by saying, "Sorry, I didn't mean to run up the score." It was a little bit of a hollow apology, however, as even when the runts like me got to play against their first team late in the game.
Fast forward to my junior year. The week before we played this team again, our team was playing a game that we should have won. Yes, we only won 2 games that year but there was one week we played a team that we should have beat. Not only did we lose, we played terribly. I don't think I ever saw our coaches as angry as they were at halftime and when the game was over. At the end of the night, our head coach finished his comments with two promises, in preparation for the game against the team that embarassed us so much the year prior, we were going to work harder than we had ever worked. And then he guaranteed that we would win.
What followed was the toughest, most physical week of my limited athletic career. We practiced the following morning, one of only 2 Saturday practices of my varsity career. We had full blown, hard hitting, full contact practices everyday the following week, including the day before the game. I remember being banged up, worn out, and beaten down. Daily, I questioned my commitment to playing football.
Did I want to play this bad that I put myself through this?
I went through classes during the day dreading the upcoming practice. I went from drill to drill, dreading what was coming next. My teammates seemed to share my desire to stay out of the direction of the coaches attention.
Finally, the game night arrived. As hard as the week of practice had been, the game was just as tough. Our opponents were strong, fast, and fired up thinking they had an easy target for another victory. The game was hard-hitting, back and forth, and very low scoring.
With time running out, the other time had the ball. They were driving for what would be the clinching score. At worst, it seemed, they could have run out the clock to assure their victory and our defeat. With around a minute left in the game, one of their players broke through the line and it looked like he was going to run the ball in for the clinching touchdown.
Over 30 years later, after watching sports of all manner at all levels, I am still amazed at what happened next.
One of our players appearred out of what seemed like nowhere and just took the ball away from their player. He proceeded to run 90 yards for a touchdown. We won. We won by 1 point.
It is here that my Life Lesson really begins. At that moment, and for that matter, for the rest of the weekend I don't think there was a player on our team that felt any of the bumps and bruises. Though we gave everything we had on that field, we had energy to burn. I don't think there was a player that did not appreciate the coaches for how they had driven us the week before and prepared us for the game.
The point is this, once we won the game, we did not remember all of the pain that we went through, we just felt the exhilaration of the victory.
We face many difficult times throughout our lives. There are times when we have mountains to climb that seem insurmountable. There are times where we are pushed to our limit and we question our intentions and desires. There are times where we are tempted to simply give up and make the hardhip and difficulties end.
However, if we stick with it, if we maintain our focus and commitment, if we keep at it, when we come out on the otherside we will discover the joy of victory, or completion, or satisfaction. And more than likely, we will minimize the struggles we faced to get there.
In my last post, I mentioned that my mom is facing a battle with breast cancer. She has already to begun to have to deal with some of the side effects of her treatment. She was told that one medication would make her feel like "every bone in her body was breaking." While it was not quite that bad, it did hit her pretty hard. She has had days where she was barely able to get out of bed and spent most of the day dozing on the couch. She has started to lose her hair. These and other side effects are just some of the battle that she faces.
In the case of my mom, cancer picked the wrong opponent. My mom is a fighter and she is going to beat the Big C. She has good days and some not so good days but I know that Mom is going to be victorious in this battle. And when she does, she will revel in the joy of a healthy life and the struggles will be but a distant memory.
Keep Smilin'!!
© 2009 Eddy Seegers, All Rights Reserved
~(This is one version of many quotes of a similar nature.)
This story goes back many years to my days of playing high school football. I played on the varsity team for 3 years. Not saying much since we didn't have a junior varsity team. During my three years we won a grand total of 1, 2, and, then the triumphant senior year, 4 games during my career.
My sophomore year, I was a small player on a small team. I didn't get on the field very much that year. Early on, we played a team that wasn't really a rival but we did play them year after year. Their nickname was the Wildcats.
We played them my sophomore year at their stadium which was right next to their school. In fact, our "dressing room" was a class room. When we left the building to go to the field, we were behind the bleachers filled with their fans. Those fans would turn around and and chant, "Cat food, cat, food!" as we made our way to the field. It was made even louder as the chants would echo off the building.
What started as a close game, became a rout by the time it ended, with my school taking one of the worse defeats in its history. After the game, their coach came over to our coach and apologized by saying, "Sorry, I didn't mean to run up the score." It was a little bit of a hollow apology, however, as even when the runts like me got to play against their first team late in the game.
Fast forward to my junior year. The week before we played this team again, our team was playing a game that we should have won. Yes, we only won 2 games that year but there was one week we played a team that we should have beat. Not only did we lose, we played terribly. I don't think I ever saw our coaches as angry as they were at halftime and when the game was over. At the end of the night, our head coach finished his comments with two promises, in preparation for the game against the team that embarassed us so much the year prior, we were going to work harder than we had ever worked. And then he guaranteed that we would win.
What followed was the toughest, most physical week of my limited athletic career. We practiced the following morning, one of only 2 Saturday practices of my varsity career. We had full blown, hard hitting, full contact practices everyday the following week, including the day before the game. I remember being banged up, worn out, and beaten down. Daily, I questioned my commitment to playing football.
Did I want to play this bad that I put myself through this?
I went through classes during the day dreading the upcoming practice. I went from drill to drill, dreading what was coming next. My teammates seemed to share my desire to stay out of the direction of the coaches attention.
Finally, the game night arrived. As hard as the week of practice had been, the game was just as tough. Our opponents were strong, fast, and fired up thinking they had an easy target for another victory. The game was hard-hitting, back and forth, and very low scoring.
With time running out, the other time had the ball. They were driving for what would be the clinching score. At worst, it seemed, they could have run out the clock to assure their victory and our defeat. With around a minute left in the game, one of their players broke through the line and it looked like he was going to run the ball in for the clinching touchdown.
Over 30 years later, after watching sports of all manner at all levels, I am still amazed at what happened next.
One of our players appearred out of what seemed like nowhere and just took the ball away from their player. He proceeded to run 90 yards for a touchdown. We won. We won by 1 point.
It is here that my Life Lesson really begins. At that moment, and for that matter, for the rest of the weekend I don't think there was a player on our team that felt any of the bumps and bruises. Though we gave everything we had on that field, we had energy to burn. I don't think there was a player that did not appreciate the coaches for how they had driven us the week before and prepared us for the game.
The point is this, once we won the game, we did not remember all of the pain that we went through, we just felt the exhilaration of the victory.
We face many difficult times throughout our lives. There are times when we have mountains to climb that seem insurmountable. There are times where we are pushed to our limit and we question our intentions and desires. There are times where we are tempted to simply give up and make the hardhip and difficulties end.
However, if we stick with it, if we maintain our focus and commitment, if we keep at it, when we come out on the otherside we will discover the joy of victory, or completion, or satisfaction. And more than likely, we will minimize the struggles we faced to get there.
In my last post, I mentioned that my mom is facing a battle with breast cancer. She has already to begun to have to deal with some of the side effects of her treatment. She was told that one medication would make her feel like "every bone in her body was breaking." While it was not quite that bad, it did hit her pretty hard. She has had days where she was barely able to get out of bed and spent most of the day dozing on the couch. She has started to lose her hair. These and other side effects are just some of the battle that she faces.
In the case of my mom, cancer picked the wrong opponent. My mom is a fighter and she is going to beat the Big C. She has good days and some not so good days but I know that Mom is going to be victorious in this battle. And when she does, she will revel in the joy of a healthy life and the struggles will be but a distant memory.
Keep Smilin'!!
© 2009 Eddy Seegers, All Rights Reserved
Wednesday, November 24, 2010
Giving Thanks
There is a plethora of things going on in my world. For some of them, I can't talk about in this venue. For others, I don't want to talk about in this venue. Suffice it to say that there are many things grabbing at my attention from different directions.
So, as I was trying to think of what to write as a Thanksgiving message, many of the things listed below just popped into my mind. I was originally thinking of focusing on one topic but I thought, why not share more. Some serious. Some very personal. And some just fun things, like being able to use the word "plethora" in the first sentence of this post.
I hope you enjoy reading this, but if you don't, that is okay. I enjoyed thinking about it and writing it.
1. I am thankful for a loving God who saw fit to give me life. I haven't been perfect but I pray that in total, my life glorifies Him and his son, Jesus Christ.
2. I am thankful for my parents and my family. I love them all very much. Again, as with my life, we are not perfect but that usually keeps things interesting.
3. I am thankful for my friends and co-workers. I guess the best way to describe these people is eclectic. Definitely a wide variety of characters and personalities.
4. I am thankful to live in my country, the United States of America, the greatest nation on the face of the earth. So many things that I probably could have done an individual post just for this. One thing that I wanted to mention as a thought on the current economic condition, this is STILL the land of OPPORTUNITY.
5. This kinda goes with #4. I am thankful for our country's military, especially the United States Marine Corps. When allowed to be, these men and women are most powerful fighting force ever wear a uniform in service of their country.
6. And this one kinda goes with #5. I am thankful for the veterans who served so well in times past. These men and women fought evil as today's military continues the tradition.
7. I am thankful for football. Thanksgiving football with my favorite team, the Dallas Cowboys. They are having a tough year this year but I have stuck with them in the past and will continue to stick with them through thick and thin. And Auburn Tigers football. If you haven't experienced Auburn and Alabama football and their rivalry game, the Iron Bowl, you truly haven't experienced the most intense rivalry in sports. WAR EAGLE! Finally, my Houston Cougars. It is a slow journey but we will be great again.
8. I am thankful for whoever invented cranberry sauce. I love this stuff. Way too much sugar for my system but I will have some one day a year. (And some more now that so many places are creating their own variations and giving out samples. If I am offered a taste, I am not going to say no.)
9. I am thankful for my mom's turkey stuffing. I call it "Yankee White Bread Stuffing", especially to my southern friends who swear by cornbread stuffing. Mom's stuffing is simple but oh, so good!
10. I am thankful for the internet where I have a chance to share the things I am thankful for.
11. Finally, I am thankful for the chance to be thankful.
Have a Happy Thanksgiving all! Be safe. And remember...
Keep Smilin'!!
Eddy
© Eddy Seegers 2010, All Rights Reserved
So, as I was trying to think of what to write as a Thanksgiving message, many of the things listed below just popped into my mind. I was originally thinking of focusing on one topic but I thought, why not share more. Some serious. Some very personal. And some just fun things, like being able to use the word "plethora" in the first sentence of this post.
I hope you enjoy reading this, but if you don't, that is okay. I enjoyed thinking about it and writing it.
1. I am thankful for a loving God who saw fit to give me life. I haven't been perfect but I pray that in total, my life glorifies Him and his son, Jesus Christ.
2. I am thankful for my parents and my family. I love them all very much. Again, as with my life, we are not perfect but that usually keeps things interesting.
3. I am thankful for my friends and co-workers. I guess the best way to describe these people is eclectic. Definitely a wide variety of characters and personalities.
4. I am thankful to live in my country, the United States of America, the greatest nation on the face of the earth. So many things that I probably could have done an individual post just for this. One thing that I wanted to mention as a thought on the current economic condition, this is STILL the land of OPPORTUNITY.
5. This kinda goes with #4. I am thankful for our country's military, especially the United States Marine Corps. When allowed to be, these men and women are most powerful fighting force ever wear a uniform in service of their country.
6. And this one kinda goes with #5. I am thankful for the veterans who served so well in times past. These men and women fought evil as today's military continues the tradition.
7. I am thankful for football. Thanksgiving football with my favorite team, the Dallas Cowboys. They are having a tough year this year but I have stuck with them in the past and will continue to stick with them through thick and thin. And Auburn Tigers football. If you haven't experienced Auburn and Alabama football and their rivalry game, the Iron Bowl, you truly haven't experienced the most intense rivalry in sports. WAR EAGLE! Finally, my Houston Cougars. It is a slow journey but we will be great again.
8. I am thankful for whoever invented cranberry sauce. I love this stuff. Way too much sugar for my system but I will have some one day a year. (And some more now that so many places are creating their own variations and giving out samples. If I am offered a taste, I am not going to say no.)
9. I am thankful for my mom's turkey stuffing. I call it "Yankee White Bread Stuffing", especially to my southern friends who swear by cornbread stuffing. Mom's stuffing is simple but oh, so good!
10. I am thankful for the internet where I have a chance to share the things I am thankful for.
11. Finally, I am thankful for the chance to be thankful.
Have a Happy Thanksgiving all! Be safe. And remember...
Keep Smilin'!!
Eddy
© Eddy Seegers 2010, All Rights Reserved
Sunday, November 21, 2010
Not so Common Courtesy
A recent topic among some friends on Facebook was common courtesy. Unfortunately, the general consensus was that courtesy is no longer common.
Now I have discussed courtesy before so I will not rehash the topic in detail and with examples of discourteous behavior.
This Thursday is Thanksgiving. The holiday season is upon us. Our country is still in an economic downturn. People are under a bunch of pressure.
2 Christmas seasons ago, when things had first taken the big turn for the worse, I noticed that people were much nicer that season. I think that people had that "we are all in this together" attitude and everyone seemed so much nicer and more courteous than is normally found when out and about at Christmastime. I heard less grumbling in the checkout line. I saw less parking lot road rage over parking spots. Fewer people were blocking a parking isle just waiting for a spot to open. People were just nicer based on my observations. The way people should be all year but especially at Christmastime.
Last year, however, it seemed like people had returned to their Scrooge-like ways. The grumbling returned. I saw acts of rudeness almost everytime I stepped into a store. Store clerks were treated poorly but I saw many of them returning the favor. I even witnessed a pleasant looking lady in the 10 items or less checkout line telling her kids that it did not matter that their cart was overflowing, the clerk wouldn't say anything to them and she didn't feel like waiting in one of the other lines. It didn't matter to her that there were about 6 people in line behind her, each with less than 10 items.
In my humble opinion, I think the stress and strain started to get to the population in general last year.
So my first wish of this Holiday Season is this, the return in thought and action of common courtesy. Nothing spectacular. No need to go out of ones way. Just be nice and courteous to others. Show respect. If you don't need to use the handicapped parking don't. Most of us could use the extra exercise anyway. Be aware of others. Have kind words for fellow shoppers and especially store employees where you are shopping. Say thank you, please, and excuse me. It is not that hard. I was taught these things at a very young age and I am sure most of you were also. We have just forgotten our manners.
Try smiling. That is one of my eternal wishes is for people to smile more. Everyone looks better when they smile so lets beautify our nation and the planet by smiling more.
And once again, please be courteous and have a wonderful time of Thanksgiving.
Keep Smilin'!,
Eddy
© Eddy Seegers 2010, All Rights Reserved
Now I have discussed courtesy before so I will not rehash the topic in detail and with examples of discourteous behavior.
This Thursday is Thanksgiving. The holiday season is upon us. Our country is still in an economic downturn. People are under a bunch of pressure.
2 Christmas seasons ago, when things had first taken the big turn for the worse, I noticed that people were much nicer that season. I think that people had that "we are all in this together" attitude and everyone seemed so much nicer and more courteous than is normally found when out and about at Christmastime. I heard less grumbling in the checkout line. I saw less parking lot road rage over parking spots. Fewer people were blocking a parking isle just waiting for a spot to open. People were just nicer based on my observations. The way people should be all year but especially at Christmastime.
Last year, however, it seemed like people had returned to their Scrooge-like ways. The grumbling returned. I saw acts of rudeness almost everytime I stepped into a store. Store clerks were treated poorly but I saw many of them returning the favor. I even witnessed a pleasant looking lady in the 10 items or less checkout line telling her kids that it did not matter that their cart was overflowing, the clerk wouldn't say anything to them and she didn't feel like waiting in one of the other lines. It didn't matter to her that there were about 6 people in line behind her, each with less than 10 items.
In my humble opinion, I think the stress and strain started to get to the population in general last year.
So my first wish of this Holiday Season is this, the return in thought and action of common courtesy. Nothing spectacular. No need to go out of ones way. Just be nice and courteous to others. Show respect. If you don't need to use the handicapped parking don't. Most of us could use the extra exercise anyway. Be aware of others. Have kind words for fellow shoppers and especially store employees where you are shopping. Say thank you, please, and excuse me. It is not that hard. I was taught these things at a very young age and I am sure most of you were also. We have just forgotten our manners.
Try smiling. That is one of my eternal wishes is for people to smile more. Everyone looks better when they smile so lets beautify our nation and the planet by smiling more.
And once again, please be courteous and have a wonderful time of Thanksgiving.
Keep Smilin'!,
Eddy
© Eddy Seegers 2010, All Rights Reserved
Sunday, May 30, 2010
Dining with Greatness
We can't all be heroes because somebody has to sit on the curb and clap as they go by. ~Will Rogers
Last Saturday, May 22nd to be exact, I had the pleasure of dining with greatness. The Americian Legion Walton F. Hoffmann Memorial Post 179 in New Braunfels, Texas had a celebration dinner to redicate their refurbished building and a belated American Legion birthday observance. I have mentioned before that my parents were both in the Marines and both are active with the Post. My mom is the First Vice Commander. Although I am not able to be active, as I live about 160 miles away, I am a proud member of the Sons of the American Legion Squadron.
Before the dinner I was introduced to many of the members and guests that were in attendance. Simply stated, I am in awe of the people that were in attendance. First and foremost, I am proud of my parents. My dad wanted to make a career of the military. I am not sure what my mom's long term plans were but the Marine Corps gave Mom the opportunity to get away from a very bad home situation. Fate kind of had different plans for both of them but to this day, I have people say that it answers a lot of questions about me when they discover that my parents were Marines.
Also in attendance that afternoon and evening were a Pearl Harbor survivor, a woman who fought with the French underground against the Nazis, a World War I veteran's widow, numerous WWII veterans, as well as veterans who served in Korean, Vietnam, Iraq, Afghanistan, and times in between. There was even a retired 2-star general.
Those who know me personally know that I am not usually one that is quiet in social settings. However, when I get around these people I keep my mouth shut as much as possible and simply listen to these American heroes. These are people who were willing to put their lives on the line in the defense of this country and freedom around the world.
Today is Memorial Day, a day we, as a nation, pay tribute to the sacrifice of the those who lost their life in the service of our country. On a personal note, I have a great-uncle that was lost in North Africa. It is my understanding that they found his plane but nothing has ever been found of him.
This weekend I watched shows about WWII and the sacrifice made by so many from Pearl Harbor, to North Africa, to the Philipines, to the beaches of Normandy, to the many tiny islands in the south Pacific, to Fortress Europe, and beyond. There were brief reports about those that served during the extreme conditions of Korean conflict. Scenes from the Vietnam Memorial always bring a lump to my throat, especially when I realize how our military was handcuffed fighting a politically-incorrect war. 58,000 names are on that Memorial Wall. 58,000 who sacrificed all in a war that the United States was not allowed to win. I remember when the 1,000th casualty in Iraq was announced. This past week, the 1,000th life lost in Afghanistan occurred. A young man from right here in Texas.
Everyone of these souls, plus ones from other conflicts throughout the history of this nation, was lost in the name of freedom and liberty. Everyone of these souls had a mother and father, many had brothers and sisters, and they all had so many people that loved them.
Today, to these precious souls and their memories, I say, "Thank You!"
Back to those wonderful people at the American Legion dinner. There were many WWII veterans there. Many walked with canes and even those that didn't, moved a little slow. Several years ago, I heard that there are only 10% of those that served in WWII were still alive. I am sure that percentage gets smaller every day.
Time marches on. Those that served in Korea and Vietnam are getting older. I want to take this Memorial Day to also Honor those who served and are still with us. To those who have served, those who have committed a portion of their life to defending freedom, and to those who are currently serving our country, many in harm's way, with tears in my eyes as I type, "Thank You!" As I sit on the curb, clapping as you pass by, "Thank You and God Bless and Keep You."
© Eddy Seegers 2010, All Rights Reserved
Last Saturday, May 22nd to be exact, I had the pleasure of dining with greatness. The Americian Legion Walton F. Hoffmann Memorial Post 179 in New Braunfels, Texas had a celebration dinner to redicate their refurbished building and a belated American Legion birthday observance. I have mentioned before that my parents were both in the Marines and both are active with the Post. My mom is the First Vice Commander. Although I am not able to be active, as I live about 160 miles away, I am a proud member of the Sons of the American Legion Squadron.
Before the dinner I was introduced to many of the members and guests that were in attendance. Simply stated, I am in awe of the people that were in attendance. First and foremost, I am proud of my parents. My dad wanted to make a career of the military. I am not sure what my mom's long term plans were but the Marine Corps gave Mom the opportunity to get away from a very bad home situation. Fate kind of had different plans for both of them but to this day, I have people say that it answers a lot of questions about me when they discover that my parents were Marines.
Also in attendance that afternoon and evening were a Pearl Harbor survivor, a woman who fought with the French underground against the Nazis, a World War I veteran's widow, numerous WWII veterans, as well as veterans who served in Korean, Vietnam, Iraq, Afghanistan, and times in between. There was even a retired 2-star general.
Those who know me personally know that I am not usually one that is quiet in social settings. However, when I get around these people I keep my mouth shut as much as possible and simply listen to these American heroes. These are people who were willing to put their lives on the line in the defense of this country and freedom around the world.
Today is Memorial Day, a day we, as a nation, pay tribute to the sacrifice of the those who lost their life in the service of our country. On a personal note, I have a great-uncle that was lost in North Africa. It is my understanding that they found his plane but nothing has ever been found of him.
This weekend I watched shows about WWII and the sacrifice made by so many from Pearl Harbor, to North Africa, to the Philipines, to the beaches of Normandy, to the many tiny islands in the south Pacific, to Fortress Europe, and beyond. There were brief reports about those that served during the extreme conditions of Korean conflict. Scenes from the Vietnam Memorial always bring a lump to my throat, especially when I realize how our military was handcuffed fighting a politically-incorrect war. 58,000 names are on that Memorial Wall. 58,000 who sacrificed all in a war that the United States was not allowed to win. I remember when the 1,000th casualty in Iraq was announced. This past week, the 1,000th life lost in Afghanistan occurred. A young man from right here in Texas.
Everyone of these souls, plus ones from other conflicts throughout the history of this nation, was lost in the name of freedom and liberty. Everyone of these souls had a mother and father, many had brothers and sisters, and they all had so many people that loved them.
Today, to these precious souls and their memories, I say, "Thank You!"
Back to those wonderful people at the American Legion dinner. There were many WWII veterans there. Many walked with canes and even those that didn't, moved a little slow. Several years ago, I heard that there are only 10% of those that served in WWII were still alive. I am sure that percentage gets smaller every day.
Time marches on. Those that served in Korea and Vietnam are getting older. I want to take this Memorial Day to also Honor those who served and are still with us. To those who have served, those who have committed a portion of their life to defending freedom, and to those who are currently serving our country, many in harm's way, with tears in my eyes as I type, "Thank You!" As I sit on the curb, clapping as you pass by, "Thank You and God Bless and Keep You."
© Eddy Seegers 2010, All Rights Reserved
Sunday, June 21, 2009
Coming soon
I wrote blog for Father's Day and it seems to have disappeared. I am re-writing and will re-post as soon as possible.
Eddy
Eddy
Thursday, June 4, 2009
No Excuses
I was going through some of my notebooks looking for ideas and thoughts, when I came across this personal mission statement. It was dated November 28, 1997. I know that I was going through some personal and profession trials at that time. To be honest, it was a very challenging time in my life.
I don’t remember writing this but I do remember the time. I know that I was in a very poor frame of mind, feeling sorry for myself. I also remember coming out of my funk soon after this time as Christmas was pretty good, so I have to think this was part of me turning my mental state in the right direction.
It is titled, “NO EXCUSES”.
I will make no excuses. I understand that no matter what I do in life, there will be times of failure. I will look at these times as learning experiences and as opportunities to grow. I will use these failures to reflect on my dreams, goals, and paths I am taking.
I will not make lack of money an excuse because I know that others have succeeded even though they started with far less.
I will not let a lack of time be an excuse because I know that each day has 24 hours in it for everybody and we all find the time to do the things that we truly want to do.
I will not let my health be an excuse as I know there are others who have succeeded that are sicker than I will ever be, have conditions far worse than me, or are handicapped beyond my comprehension. If they can do it, so can I.
I will not use personal obligations or roadblocks as an excuse. I realize that there those whose outside commitments or problems have been a hindrance to their success but they have succeeded anyway. If these people can overcome their challenges, I can overcome anything that I have to face.
I will not allow the phrase, “I don’t know how” to be an excuse. If I don’t know how to do something, I will find a way to learn. I know that there are people who are poor students or have a less than average intelligence who have succeeded. I am a good student, and I know that if my success depends on obtaining an education in a particular area, I can and will obtain it.
I will not make excuses. Excuses are for losers and I am a winner. I know that there are successful people who are dumber, worse looking, worse dressed, come from far more unfortunate circumstances, even smell worse, and who had much taller mountains to climb than I will likely ever have to face. However, they succeeded and SO WILL I!
Not bad if I may be less than humble. I wrote this over 10 years ago and even though I forgot it existed, I have generally followed the principals. While I still have my ups and downs, who doesn’t, I simply don’t let them get me down. At least not for long. Funny thing too, when I don’t look for excuses, I find myself moving forward faster and with more purpose. I don’t get bogged down.
Yes, I had forgotten that I wrote this but, no more. I am going to re-type it, put it in a pretty picture frame, and hang it over my desk.
Let me encourage you to eliminate excuses from your life. Look at troubles, roadblocks, difficulties, setbacks, etc., for what they are, learning and growing opportunities.
Keep Smilin’!!
© Eddy Seegers 2009, All Rights Reserved
Do you have a social club, business group, or organization that needs a speaker for a meeting, program or event? I can use one of my existing programs, such as "The Monkey Trap" or "Life Lessons Learned Playing Little League", tailored to your specific group or I can create a unique program based on your needs and wants. The programs include some humor, some serious reflection, and hopefully, plenty of information and inspiration for all who attend. To contact me for more information click_here.
I don’t remember writing this but I do remember the time. I know that I was in a very poor frame of mind, feeling sorry for myself. I also remember coming out of my funk soon after this time as Christmas was pretty good, so I have to think this was part of me turning my mental state in the right direction.
It is titled, “NO EXCUSES”.
I will make no excuses. I understand that no matter what I do in life, there will be times of failure. I will look at these times as learning experiences and as opportunities to grow. I will use these failures to reflect on my dreams, goals, and paths I am taking.
I will not make lack of money an excuse because I know that others have succeeded even though they started with far less.
I will not let a lack of time be an excuse because I know that each day has 24 hours in it for everybody and we all find the time to do the things that we truly want to do.
I will not let my health be an excuse as I know there are others who have succeeded that are sicker than I will ever be, have conditions far worse than me, or are handicapped beyond my comprehension. If they can do it, so can I.
I will not use personal obligations or roadblocks as an excuse. I realize that there those whose outside commitments or problems have been a hindrance to their success but they have succeeded anyway. If these people can overcome their challenges, I can overcome anything that I have to face.
I will not allow the phrase, “I don’t know how” to be an excuse. If I don’t know how to do something, I will find a way to learn. I know that there are people who are poor students or have a less than average intelligence who have succeeded. I am a good student, and I know that if my success depends on obtaining an education in a particular area, I can and will obtain it.
I will not make excuses. Excuses are for losers and I am a winner. I know that there are successful people who are dumber, worse looking, worse dressed, come from far more unfortunate circumstances, even smell worse, and who had much taller mountains to climb than I will likely ever have to face. However, they succeeded and SO WILL I!
Not bad if I may be less than humble. I wrote this over 10 years ago and even though I forgot it existed, I have generally followed the principals. While I still have my ups and downs, who doesn’t, I simply don’t let them get me down. At least not for long. Funny thing too, when I don’t look for excuses, I find myself moving forward faster and with more purpose. I don’t get bogged down.
Yes, I had forgotten that I wrote this but, no more. I am going to re-type it, put it in a pretty picture frame, and hang it over my desk.
Let me encourage you to eliminate excuses from your life. Look at troubles, roadblocks, difficulties, setbacks, etc., for what they are, learning and growing opportunities.
Keep Smilin’!!
© Eddy Seegers 2009, All Rights Reserved
Do you have a social club, business group, or organization that needs a speaker for a meeting, program or event? I can use one of my existing programs, such as "The Monkey Trap" or "Life Lessons Learned Playing Little League", tailored to your specific group or I can create a unique program based on your needs and wants. The programs include some humor, some serious reflection, and hopefully, plenty of information and inspiration for all who attend. To contact me for more information click_here.
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