The moment I knew I was an American was when I was seven years old. My grandpa, who died almost fours years ago, gave me an American flag sticker and an actual flag and asked me if I was an American and I said yes, I am an American. This moment was very special for me because I never really got to know my grandpa too well but the few memories I have of him are some of my most treasured things.
My grandpa fought in World War II and was a very patriotic and passionate person. He absolutely loved his country and was willing to die to protect the ones he loved and the country he so cherished. He even went skydiving for his fiftieth birthday and wore three pairs of underwear dyed red, white, and blue. I always looked up to him and thought the world of him. Since I never knew my grandpa on my father's side (he died three years before I was born) I made sure I could get to know my grandpa on my mother's side.
I remember spending time at my grandparent's house a bit when I was younger and I always would ask my grandpa to tell me stories about how he used to fly in planes in WWII and everything that he did when he was younger. We would sit together for hours and he would tell me story after story about anything and everything. But my favorites were his stories about the planes he flew and what being an American fighting for your country meant to him. He never made the stories scary or anything like that, but he wouldn't "clean" them up either. He understood that I could comprehend what war was and that it is never something to take lightly.
So when he asked me if I was an American that day, I knew right away that I was. Not just because I loved my grandpa and wanted to be just like him, but because I knew that I felt the same way about this country that my grandpa did. I really miss him but I will always have the wonderful memories that he left me with and his patriotic spirit.
that's really cool shiloh. i have a relative who was in wwII also, and i look up to him too. so he gave you a real flag? that's really cool, and i'm sorry that he died. but you were able to talk to him about his expiriences, and that's pretty interesting. i know my relative is a bit hesetant to talk about his expiriences, but i still want to hear about them. nice job!
ReplyDeleteI really liked this blog Shiloh. I find it touching that you knew you were American when your grandpa gave you that flag and that you miss him very much.
ReplyDeleteYou write very detailed, organized blogs ;)