Friday, November 6, 2009

Memories ~

Today was an off day. We heard about the news from Ft Hood. I can just pray for the families who lost loved ones and for the injured to heal.

It also brought back many memories.

For 2 years, while stationed in the Army, I called Ft Hood home. It's a large base. The fields where we bivouced (camped as my son said when I tried to explain) are leased from a local rancher. It is not unusual to see herds of cattle roaming in the distance. At different points it seems that you can see for miles. The sun is beautiful setting over the hills.

Did you know that Elvis was stationed at Ft Hood?

His "job" while there was to assist in painting one of the silo towers on base. It is still red and white checked like when he originally helped. He actually only helped paint the bottom of the tower about 10 feet up. Hearing the people who visit and take pics of it though, he single handedly painted the whole thing!

We were asked so many times if we knew which tower Elvis painted that I got tired of answering. One time, me and a friend of mine were walking and a couple stopped us.

"Excuse me! Do you know which tower Elvis painted?"

I replied that I did and walked away. My friend laughed and asked why I didn't give them directions. I told her that they didn't ask for directions just if I knew which one it is.

I love that tower though. Every morning we ran 2 miles and the tower was the end of the run. I just loved seeing it get closer and closer!

Some memories make me smile. My husband HATES the Marine story! I love it though. So many good times were spent there. So many friendships made.

It's the other memories that I have been remembering today. The ones I try not to remember. Maybe it is the sadness of the aftermath. It's the ones that bring on the flood of tears. The face burned in your mind that you can never forget. The decisions that at the time you thought it would be best to not know. Yet you still wish you had had the courage at the time to find out.

So today there are no projects, no cool Gorilla glue candlesticks to brag about.... Just the memories and prayers for those affected by one man's poor decision.

4 comments:

Beth said...

Such sad news coming from Ft. Hood. I didn't know that is where Elvis was stationed!

cindy said...

It's terribly sad....no wonder it's hitting you hard, though, having lived there yourself. My 10yo son keeps asking me why the man did it, and I just don't have answers....just so sad.

Jacqueline @ HOME said...

Such a tradegy, Maggie and so poignant for you.
Try to have a quiet weekend. Will be thinking of you. XXXX

Lori said...

Maggie ~ when we see stories on the news from afar we are sad that it happened and then we carry on. It is when you have a personal attachment to the place that you tend to feel deeper and hurt more. Know that I too am praying for the families of the lives that were lost in Fort Hood and also for the lives lost in Afghanistan and Iraq since this all began.