It’s not every day

He fought for the good guys in WWII.

It’s not every day that you come into contact with living history.

We were enjoying dinner at a local restaurant and as it is our custom no matter where we are, we bow our heads and give thanks to God for blessing us. We do not do it for attention. We do it as a reminder of how rich we are.

After we finished our prayer and began eating, a gentleman approached our table from across the aisle. He was very polite and told us how appreciative he was at seeing us pray. He was especially impressed watching the kids hold hands (as we all do).

Noticing he spoke with a British accent, we asked him where he was from. It turns out he is from England and will turn 92 later this year. He is a WWII veteran and has lived here in the states since 1964. He was part of a group of soldiers that were supposed to be sent on a suicide mission. While he didn’t elaborate on the mission, he did tell me that he was held back thanks to taking a cricket ball to the face. He later learned that all of those on the mission perished, leaving him believing that he had been called to a complete a different mission.

His wife, Miranda, and her twin sister, Georgina (I hope I spelled that right) were also with him. I stepped over to his table to meet them and ask them how they came to be in the states. In very plain and clear English, Miranda pointed to her Ben and said she followed her husband. She went on to speak of befriending American GI’s during the war and always marveled at their enthusiasm when speaking of home.

They boarded the Queen Elizabeth and set sail for New York City. As they approached the harbor, they were alerted to the site that they had only heard of in stories and seen in pictures, the Statue of Liberty.

To hear them talk was a treat I really can’t describe. It’s not every day that you have a piece of history walk right up to your table.