Re: "Veterans' Day Weekend: November 11 to November 15, 2010\r
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The Golden Corral! How can you get more American that this? The whole idea of free enterprise and the ability of a family's dream of owning their own restaurant to come true, working together to expand what started out as a simple goal of providing reliably good food in a full service setting in a country where the sky's the limit to owning franchises all over our nation! This success is what our country is all about, cheerful competition!\r
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Veteran's Day has been a day for me in the past that conjured up memories of times when I was part of a team of dedicated soldiers, who were either working to overcome being raised in a situation of feeling alienated and helpless in a dysfunctional family, or fulfilling a need to be part of a team where one felt as important as one did in a close 'normal' family, knowing each member could count on their team members to come across in a jam, in a crisis, in a tough situation, and come out feeling safe, as a winner! \r
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This is how I felt tonight after being honored by the above mentioned restaurant in our little town of Homestead this weekend. Being a veteran of a real war, or even of a boot camp, leaves scars, most of which are invisible. Such are mine. The terror and pride of surviving one's first attack by people hell-bent on killing themselves and as many of the perceived so-called 'enemy' as possible has been part of my heritage when I was on Guam in the 40's. Our opponents had taken an oath to die on the battlefield, and when they attacked our location, they didn't expect, or hope, to live through the battle. Any that did were later shipped back to their home country, and, honoring their promise, to a man, they jumped ship and drowned.\r
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I, however, though feeling grateful to be a survivor of their midnight raid, have carried the terror of those moments ever since, blocking out some of the memories just to keep going, burying myself in my work so that the past wouldn't creep into my thoughts. I'm sure that there were many men and women who were in the restaurant this weekend who would also have related to my feelings of hiding that scary night from my past, not wanting to frighten my loved ones who had not experienced what I had gone through, who had also watched the skies for planes, not in awe, as we did at the outstanding Homestead air show, or at the great Veterans Day parade downtown on Krome Avenue, but in fear of being bombed again, or having our doors burst open by strangers, bearing arms.\r
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Fast forward to Monday night, and a shy person, me, haunted by those same memories, entered The Corral. Because there is safety in numbers, I teamed up with another veteran, my boss, and had a relaxed conversation over the nicest dinner I've had in decades. I hardly ever eat out, even though for most of my friends, eating out is a weekly and for some, a daily, happening. So, you can imagine my surprise and delight, when I was met with a caring and very apparently grateful staff of people who were happy to see us, and gave quality service in a place within a mile of my condo. Such a big patriotic deal! It was delicious and filling, not only for my stomach, but for my soul, because everyone was treated with respect, instead of as just a number, or a daily quota.\r
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W\ho knows how many dollars were spent on the vets at the Golden Corrals, who followed through on Monday with an evening meal for those who had ever been in uniform in defense of their country. I was supplied with a feeling of camaraderie; once more feeling a part of a larger effort, to healthfully nurture the neighborhood! I have lost more than 63 pounds eating at the Golden Corral's salad and fruit bar. I acquired this fat 50 years ago, from uneducated, unenlightened eating habits that I had formed to comfort my emotionally-stuffed feelings. \r
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In the last quarter of my century of life, it's an honor to be a citizen of a country who has enterprises that remember and give back to its own. Thank you, Golden Corral, for the present happy experiences which have not just covered me up, like a grandmother's precious handmade quilt covering me up and protecting me against the cold nights, from some pretty scary past experiences, but have replaced those experiences with a feeling of safety and comfort and I look forward to repeat performances next year! God bless us all and God bless America."\r
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This note is from a grateful patron, Dr. Flora Mason Van Orden, a proud member of a family who has experienced over 125 years of nearly continuous "fighting our country's battles" (as the song goes, "on our land and overseas"! in both the U.S. Marine Corps and in the National Guard and Reserve), who, this month, is teaching children and adults about being free from disease through adopting a raw, plant-based diet, in Homestead, Florida. www.rawdoctors.com and www.RawLife.org
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