Camaraderie

Today my dad's old military friends came to pay their respects. My dad was the group lead of a company of about 12 men. It's been about 38 years since their service. Thirty eight years later nearly all the men came back from all around Taiwan to pay their respects. At exactly 11am, like the orderly troop they used to be, all the men filed into our tiny living room. I was amazed at how precise these men are. They took different modes of transportation and came from all different areas, but managed to make it right on the dot. It really shows character in each individual and also shows the respect and honer these men have for dad. I am learning so much more about my dad these days.

I was told how much I look like my dad back in his military days. I stood there and smiled. He was much much younger than my age now. And I am still learning and working to become a better person, someone more like my dad.

I can only imagine what it's like having a reunion with close friends 30, 40 years from now. Staying in contact with people is not an easy thing, especially with decades between them. These men are now in their late fifties to sixties. Time has aged them, but their bond remains strong.

I was reminded today of the meaning of true friends.