My luggage is out there somewhere……maybe

No, I’n not going to rant, and as far as I know, my luggage is actually headed to my final destination, Lexington, not heaven!  No actually today’s flights (so far), have been fine.  I was even bumped to first class for both return flights, so all is good. Delta must have found out I was flying Southwest a lot more!!!!  In all honesty, it would be pretty hard to get me in a bad mood this morning.  I’ve got a lot to look forward to, and had a wonderful evening last night!

Let’s start with last night.  As you know from the previous entry about ISAP, we were honored to have two of the few living Tuskegee Airman with us for the meeting.  I really enjoyed meeting them and talking with them.  You couldn’t find two more down to earth, appreciative people on earth.  We received them warmly and they more than returned our out pouring of love. We did clean and checks and both gentlemen brought their cameras over to be cleaned, one was an ancient Nikon point and shoot model from several years back, and the other man had a D70 that needed a lot of attention.  They both really enjoyed the photography programs, and professed to being “into” photography.  They wanted to learn a lot more, they were respectfully 86 and 91!!!!!   Shame on me for talking about getting old!!

So, last night before the paper airplane contest, (a much loved annual event started years ago by Fred Sisson, I’m simply the caretaker) anyway, I was thinking we give a Coolpix P7100 to the winner and I sure would love to have given it to one of them!    While I was obsessing about how I could get them new, better cameras, it dawned on me that if my bosses, Bill Pekala, and Scott Diussa had been sitting there, they would have been thinking the same thing, and they had the authority to make it happen!  I texted Scott and he said call Bill at home.   I hate to bother my boss at home, but felt this was worthwhile, so I called him, I wasn’t surprised when he said, “Absolutely, what do you think would be appropriate for them?”  We decided that the D5100 with a kit lens would be about perfect, and so, I was able to go back into the meeting and announce after the paper airplane contest that Nikon wanted to thank them for the their service with new cameras!!!

That was when it got really interesting, both came to  the front of the room and stood on either side of me, arms around me, and teared up, I teared up, and everyone in the room teared up.   It was a special moment of sharing respect and love with these great men, who gave so much for their country.  I went off to my room to pack and return home and don’t think my feet touched the ground until I was all alone in my room, where I wept for joy.

Thank you:  to Hilton and Wilk for facing so much to stand up for your country, your race, and your patriotism.  Thank you for entering a program that was designed to fail, and making it more of a success than anyone every thought it could have been!  Thank you for teaching so many young people that dreams can become reality, no matter what others tell you.  Thank you for giving me the honor of standing between the two of you, for just a moment, I’ve never felt taller!   Thank you, Bill Pekala, for being the kind of man that sees what is really important and acts on it.  Thanks for being a great boss and friend, and same to you Scott, I could not work for two better men.   Thank you my fellow ISAP members, what an honor to be in your company, learn from you, and enjoy your being a part of my life!

Thank you Father for allowing me to live this life, filled with your love, forgiveness and acceptance!  You’ve granted me far more than I deserve!

Who cares where my luggage is……… strike that, my tripod and ballhead are in there!!!

the pilgrim