Today I had to leave my wife and two grandchildren to travel from Door County to Milwaukee for yet another doctor appointment. On my way back to Door County, I traveled through Two Rivers, WI. Two Rivers is such a small little town that if you blinked you'd probably miss it. But, it's pretty with a nice high school and a lot of tourist type places. It's the kind of town that flies flags from nearly every porch and everyone knows everyone else -- along with their business. It's the kind of place, from what I saw driving thru, that you wish you could raise your kids in. The kind of place where Ozzie and Harriet probably still live.
While driving through town the other day, Cheryl and I wondered just why the majority of the flags were at half-staff, but we're on vacation, so we figured we missed some big news item. Today, I saw why. According to a sign at a local bank, SGT. Shaun Novak was killed in Iraq. When I saw the sign -- noticing it only because I had been caught at the light -- it took my breath away. A whole town has lowered their flags to honor one of their own. Feeling lucky that my son arrived back from Iraq safe and sound, I felt for the Novaks. I wondered what they must feel.
Then, I passed the high school and saw another sign flashing an honor to the fallen soldier. This one stated his birthday. I didn't catch the date, but I caught the year, 1985. The year that I graduated from high school this young man was born and now he's gone, killed in a War being fought so far away. This time, I didn't have my breath taken away, this time real tears flowed down my cheeks for a young man I never met and for his parents and family.
I saw another sign that said, God Bless the Novaks. So, I'm going to end today's blog with nothing more than those four words. No rant, no rave, just a simple:
God Bless the Novaks.
Top Of My Head
6 comments:
A lovely post; thank you.
I also went through Trivers (two syllables to the locals) this summer and had similar thoughts about the town. Everyone should avoid freeway tourism! (Much better food, too.)
Fortunately, the flags were not at half-staff then, so I did not have to share your other thoughts -- not that day. But I do.
Bless the Novaks -- and the Witmers, the Bosvelds and all the families whose names I do not recall, as there now are too many families filled with pride but with hurt.
Thanks for stopping by and posting. There have been way too many Wisconsin families mourning for their loved ones. I feel for every family.
As the girlfriend of Shaun Novak I would like to say thank you. For taking the time to notice the flags and the reason, for caring although you weren't blessed with the chance to meet him, for keeping his family in your thoughts and prayers and for taking the time to post about it so that everyone else may know as well. Shaun was my world. He was over 1/3 of my past and he was to be all of my future. The sense of loss being felt by both myself and his family is beyond words. It is a hurt that will be ever present, a hurt for which there is no sense of relief, except the small relief that comes with knowing people care.
I have family in Two Rivers and was also graduated from high school the year this young man was born.
I love Two Rivers, have always had a lovely time when visiting and recommend it to anyone who wants to find a nice town on Lake Michigan to get away for a weekend.
I was heart sick to hear of Novak's death and my heart goes out to his family and the entire city of Two Rivers. It's such a small city, everyone knows everyone and so I'm sure all are grieving his loss.
To Shaun's girlfriend, thank you so much for your kind words. Never having experience the kind of loss you have I can't even imagine what you might be going through. I wish you all the best in the future and promise to keep you and yours in my prayers.
God Bless.
Julie
We too, were passing through Two Rivers on vacation. Similarly I was commenting to my three children what a lovely town it was, and noting the flags half down, further thought we had missed something in the news. When we pulled into a motel and saw the sign Saying "we will miss you Shaun" I thought first it was perhaps a student off to college. But upon overhearing a conversation about the funeral I learned the truth. Being from an even smaller town in Minnesota, I know how an entire town can be consumed by such an event. I would love to have paid my respects at the funeral, but as an outsider didn't feel it was appropriate. But this young man has struck a cord with my family. It is our first direct sense of the sacrifice being made by those who believe in something greater. God bless the Novaks and stay with them through this, as I hope we all do.
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