Avanti – Move Forward

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Still in Saigon or Korea

This Memorial Day, I think about young family members, the family of friends, and ancestors who went to war as young people and didn’t make it home.

But, I also think of those who came back and strived to survive the memories.  In my day, I called that Still in Saigon.

Several years ago, Andy and I were having dinner with good friends.  The husband served in WWII, Korea, and Vietnam, and he started telling a story about Korea.  A story never told to his wife, even after over 40 years of marriage.  But, here he was now more than 90 years old, telling the story of finding a baby in a field off the side of the road, how he thought it was a baby doll.  It was not. 

I can’t recall exactly what he said, and I can only remember his pain.  He said he stopped the jeep, and he walked into the field, only to realize it was the body of a real baby.  So much emotion, as he told of picking up the baby and driving the baby to the nearest town for burial. 

I can still see the pain in his eyes and hear the sound of his voice, which told it all, and his experience was as if it was yesterday.

So, I have always felt that it is our responsibility to live our best lives because they gave their lives.  And, those who went to war and came back, they did give their lives, and every day they strive to survive the memories.

“Can you find out what the real story is here?”

I wrote the following in the early morning, sitting on my back porch in the Summer of 2019. 

As I have said many times, I find writing calms me, reminds me of my life journey, and my blessings.  I am a firm believer in the benefits of writing.

There is so much depression, anxiety, negativity, and it feels like we are surrounded.  And if you pay too much attention to social media, political posts, news commentary, or feel like you are being left out, or there is no future to this life, start writing and see a therapist.

If you tell me you can’t afford a paper notebook or pen, call me. It’s no wonder people are trying to get out of here. It’s like being in a bad marriage.  There are windows to get out, but you can’t see the windows to get out.  But, there are windows, and you can get out, you just need help.

I have a clip from Avanti, a 1969 movie.  The more things change, the more they stay the same, or maybe some of you recognize “wars and rumors of wars.” ALL Negativity.  The only reason things were not worse in 1969 is we didn’t have Social Media or 24 hours of “News” stations, which are not the news but commentary and indoctrination.

Watch this clip; you would swear it was today. Plus, it is a little humor.

My husband, Andy, is retired, and I ask him to find things out, or I see an email or a post and ask him to find the real story.  It doesn’t matter if you are politically on the right, left, or in the middle.  The stuff online and on the “news” for the most part, is untrue.  And all of those websites where you can check to see if it is true or not….find out who is paying for those sites.  There is always an agenda. 

One thing I like (or love) about Andy is his ability to research and give you the story, the information, the history.  Without commentary.  He has an opinion, but he does what I am sure he had to do in the Military.  Provide information and give recommendations.   Here are some things you can think about, but not what to think.

And very few people do their research for the truth or even have the time to try and find the truth.  So, we are left to believe what we are told.  Growing up in the 60s and 70s I learned to distrust authority and question everything.  I asked Andy this morning, what do I ask you when I want you to research a topic?  Here is what I ask “Can you find out what the real story is here?”

I started writing this morning on this topic because there are far too many unhappy people.  If you have a computer, write your story.  If you don’t, write in a notebook. Writing is therapeutic.

I am told my following experience that afternoon is a typical setup. “Whatever….”

I am thinking about a trip to Chicago, where one of my favorite hotels is the Palmer House.  I went for a walk and was shocked at the increase in homelessness. 

I am told my following experience that afternoon is a typical setup. “Whatever….”

My father told me if I had something to give and felt the need to provide, then do it.  A woman and a child, set up for my heart, asked for money for the bus. 

I went into a store, bought a writing book, took out a little cash, wrote something in one of the front pages of the book, I hoped it would make her or whoever ended up with the book to do something different. 

The front cover had a motivating phrase, and on one of the first pages I wrote, Learn to Sell and I stuck an ink pen inside the Writing book.  

Many people are fighting their own war and you know nothing about it.  

While Craig is not singing about losing a Son in War, he is singing about the pain and healing after losing his son and his faith in the Trinity.

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Now for the “Back Story”

What does Avanti mean in Italian?  Go Forward

Avanti is a movie I went to see at a drive-in theater as a teenager.  Not that I saw much of it.  Ha. 

So, what do I mean by Learn to Sell?  Selling is a way out of poverty for many people.

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The image for this story is one from my husband’s time in the Army. He is the guy climbing the ladder at the top.

This is a CH-47 helo using a “Troop Ladder”.  It was taken by one of my soldiers in the 101st Airborne.  He said I am on the ladder, I think at the top, It was such a cool picture it was used by the 101st Airborne on some of their recruiting brochures.
It was taken sometime in 1975. It is an interesting way to get picked up if the helo can not land.  You are climbing about a 60 ft rope ladder into a 120mph wind from the rotors. Once you get to the top you have to pull yourself and your gear up onto the ramp which usually had hydraulic fluid on it from leaks from the control systems above it in the tail.

The image below is Andy on his 69th birthday at an ROTC Training. Looks good to me.

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Now, What to Write About?

Family memories passed down for Memorial Day

• I am always very careful about asking anyone who has been in war to tell me their stories.  It feels intrusive.  I am very uncomfortable when I hear someone ask a vet about their time in service.

A Survival Story – fighting the war within.

Look for the Beautiful, Look for the True