What is a monkeybox?

When I was a little girl, we had a pet monkey named Amanda. My Dad worked in the produce business, so each night he brought home that days culls in a big box - spotty cucumbers, pithy apples, limp celery, moldy oranges and the like. We called it a monkeybox. It was really just trash, but my Mom would take each piece of fruit and trim it, pare it and cut it up to make a beautiful fruit platter for Amanda. Even though it was deemed trash by one, it still had life left in it and was good for the purpose we needed it. That's how I live my life - thrifting, yard saling, looking for another's trash to be my treasure.

Tuesday, July 15, 2008

Freedom

Today The Bean and I stood in the heat and the sun for an hour and a half. It was hot and miserable, but I did not mind. We stood and waited for the funeral procession of a local soldier who died in Iraq last week. Sadly, this was our second procession in less than a year. This particular soldier enjoyed restoring Mustangs, so there was a long line of Mustangs in the procession as well as The Partiot Guard. The Patriot Guard is such a wonderful organization. These motorcycle riders lead the procession to the Cemetary to protect the family from any people that may be along the way to cause trouble and spread hate. It is truly a sight that will choke you up. We stood by the street with our hands over our hearts as the procession passed by. I wanted to do this for The Bean to understand our fredom and the sacrifies of others for that freedom. I wanted to do it for us and for the family, but I didn't expect to be thanked or noticed. But, we were. The family waved at us through the windows and said, "Thank you." No, thank you, I wanted to say. But, the words weren't there. Bless that family and all the other families waiting for their loved ones to come home.

7 comments:

  1. Wow. How terribly sad. I know it must have brought comfort to his family seeing members from the community there to support them during this awful time.

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  2. Your post brought tears to my eyes...that family is in my prayers. You are raising your son the RIGHT way....thank YOU.

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  3. Bless you for showing your son through your example what it means to respect those that give their lives in service to this country. This soldier's wife thanks you. :)

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  4. Thank you for this post! My husband was in the Army and was overseas and I'm always thankful to see someone acknowledge what a sacrifice it is for the soldier and his/her family. Thankfully my husband came home safely, he was in Korea for a year and I had to stay behind.

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  5. Anonymous6:17 PM

    So sad.

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  6. My DS's Kindergarten teacher is currently serving at Guantanamo, so supporting our troops is very important and personal to us. It's important to support their families too. You did a lovely thing.

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  7. So sad. Now even George Bush is talking about bringing the troops home. I hope it happens soon, before more families are traumatized by such loss.

    Good for you for being present for this family.

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