Michigan

Once again I am humbled by the seemingly unending power of the universe. My wife has told me many times that I am SUPPOSED to be taking this journey, doing this work, completing this healing project. And I, the worlds great skeptic, scoffer at all things, have tried and tried not to believe. Yet, on way too many occasions we meet someone or some coincidence seems to occur that proves her right on target and it has happened again, today! Again, my confidence that I am right is shaken.

Just a few hours ago, I was in Mt. Pleasant, Michigan at the Michigan Vietnam Memorial. This site has panels inset to a brick V shaped wall listing those from the state who gave all, an array of flags, POW/MIA markers etc. It also boasts a beautiful statue called "War Cry". Having taken a number of pictures, I was standing beside the statue talking with an Iraqi War Vet who jogs to this site every day. As we spoke another guy quietly walked up, popped open a can of beer and circled the statue emptying the can on the ground surrounding "War Cry". He glanced at us and said "I'm giving my brother a drink" He explained that his "brother" died three years ago today (April 17, 2010) from complications of agent orange exposure. He said he comes here occasionally to "give him a drink" As we talked he became somewhat overwhelmed, yet continued with the story of how his friends former C.O. had wanted to give him (the friend) a birthday present a few years back. He got a Vietnam Era Jeep, towed it from Kansas City, Kansas and gave it to the friend, whom he had not seen in 30 years!. The friend thought this was a great gift but was a little unsure regarding what to do with it. He decided to give it to all vets. So, he and others have driven the Jeep in various parades and to events and gatherings and invited vets of all eras to "sign" it with an indelible pen they carry in a box. They have been featured in newspaper articles and written up in The American Legion's magazine. I commented that I would love to see it and he said that it was here in town and he would take me to it. He called ahead to say we were coming and we went a few miles away to home of the daughter of his friend.

When we arrived her husband had pulled the Jeep out into the drive and started it up for us. As you can see, from the pictures, it is covered in signatures of vets. Nearly every available space, inside and out, has someones name on it. They have no idea how many have actually signed it, but now it has two more. My new friends asked that I sign it. I am not sure that I have ever felt so honored as to be included! I commented that my sometimes traveling companion, Steve, would just love this and they insisted that I write his name, too. After I finished signing his name, I took some more photos of our names on the Jeep to send to him.

This is the point at which I became overwhelmed. Once again, something I never anticipated, could never have dreamed up in my wildest imagination had fallen into my lap. I guess my wife is more attuned to the possible than I will ever be!

I will post lots more about the sites I visited in Michigan in the near future, but, for now, I wanted to share this story about a little different kind of memorial, the Jeep.