There was a time when men in uniform weren’t welcomed home with parades, cheering crowds, and grateful hearts. Bob was awarded the Bronze Star and the Purple Heart during the Vietnam War. Two awards he wasn’t proud of. He told the love of his life that he was simply in the wrong place at the wrong time. A piece of shrapnel that remained near his eye remindedhim of a less than glorious moment for the rest of his life. Killing anything was not something he was proud of. His soul was gentle. His wounds were not merely secluded to physical wounds. His heart felt sorrow; he carried the emotional weight of a wartime some of us only read about in History books on his shoulders until cancer claimed his life this past year. Though dark days were prominent in Bob’s life, he found joy in the simple things. He found love, he built things with his hands, and he enjoyed the beauty of simpleminded sunsets and time with his sweetheart. Even in the midst of post traumatic era-love was present there…
