Memorial Day Tribute...
This is a post my mother (Carole Provenzale) wrote in honor of her father. For me to re-write and tell the story as she had for so many years would not do it justice so Please feel free to read one of Carole's memorial day posts that honors all those who served in the past, today and to honor her father. Enjoy! :)
-Post written in May 2008 by Carole Provenzale
I call them "Earth Angels." Jo, I believe, calls them "Angels Walking." They are the same thing. People who appear in your life and help you out far above and beyond and just as quickly are gone again. They come for all different reasons and in all different seasons but they surely are around.
I had the pleasure today of meeting one. As I do every year and wrote about It last year, I go to the Memorial Show in Farmingdale, Long Island, New York every year. Although I love seeing the old planes and watching some incredible take-offs, landings and air flight shows, I go mainly to honor my farther. An air force man who would have never missed it if he were alive.
He served in World War 11 and was in the 8th Air Force, 351st group and was in and stationed with Clark Gable with whom he and many others became friends with. He always spoke so highly of him and I have several old pictures of the two of them. And remember some of his stories of the war. His philosophy after the war was "When your time is up, it's up." He saw so many fellow "brothers" lost that he was amazed he made it through alive although he'd taken a few bullets.
His secret to having made it through the war was that he became engaged to my mother shortly before leaving. He would not marry her in case he didn't come home, he didn't want to leave her as a young widow. So he took the engagement ring he was going to give her and had a secret pocket built into it....which he used on all missions. When he came home, he was able to give her the ring-it was his "good luck" charm.
I went to ask a man a question about what time the planes might be flying. He didn't know but was curious, I think, what I was doing there with Laura. It's they type of thing that many men come out to see but not a lot of women. I mentioned that my father had been in the Air Force and I came every year. He knew of my father, it turns out.....and proceeded to take me into the museum where he ended up giving Laura and I a personal tour, pointing out things I never would have noticed or known what they meant.
He introduced me to others that worked there and spent a good two hours telling both Laura and I stores and facts that I had never heard from my dad. Many people, he believes, have lost the meaning of Memorial Day....he said it came down to two things: Sales at the stores and Barbeques; he may be right. I didn't learn his name and he doesn't know mine but I truly consider this person who took so much time today to give me knowledge and information I never would have know to be one of those "Earth Angels" ---Sent from my dad without a doubt.
*The Air Show can be seen at Jones Beach and from the Republic Air Base in Farmingdale, Long Island, New York
*Carole Provenzale was a Certified Feng Shui Consultant who graduated from the Country's very first School for Feng Shui Studies that was licensed and accredited in 1997. She established Feng Shui Long Island along with her Daughter, Laura Cerrano. Ms. Cerrano is the second generation of Certified feng Shui consultants in her family. Being certified in 2000 and establishing her own company "Feng Shui Manhattan," Laura has a strong client base in New York City, Long Island NY, Queens, Brooklyn, New Jersey, Staten Island and the rest of the Tri-State area.
New York City Feng Shui Manhattan
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