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My daughter's Final Tribute
May 14, 2011
My daughter wrote this peom for her after he died. I hope you enjoy.
Pride and Freedom
She lays in her bed, pretending to be asleep, waiting for her father to come home.
Waiting for the sound of heavy combat boots to come upstairs.
He comes in and kisses her good night, careful not to wake her up.
She can now go to sleep, because she knows that her world is safe.
Everyday she watches him walk out that door with his uniform on.
Understanding that one day he may not come home.
She understands this because her father taught her from an early age
that its because he wears this uniform that the world is safe.
She takes pride in knowing that her father is protecting her freedom and the freedom of others.
She may not like it when he leaves, but she lives with it.
She knows that she can't control his fate.
Once he puts on that uniform she knows that God will protect him.
This child is different, because her father is a soldier.
She carries his rucksack, she knew the proper way to salute by the age of five.
She can look at a uniform and tell you what rank the person is.
She has more responsibilities than any other kid her age.
She was not given these responsibilities.
She takes them on to help her mother when her father is gone.
She may not like war, but she accepts it because she understands that war means protecting freedom.
She also knows that her father is proud to protect freedom and that gives her comfort.
When her father died wearing his uniform, she felt great sorrow.
But not because she lost him, but because the world lost a hero,
a soldier that loved his country and his countrymen.
She still lays in bed waiting for the sound of those heavy combat boots.
But in her mind she can still hear them coming up the stairs,
giving her peace because she knows that her world is safe
because her father gave his life for her freedom and the freedom of others.
Tanya L. Heckler
A proud Ranger's daughter
submitted by debbie heckler on May 14 2011
Comments
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This is a very cool poem. I am an ex-paratrooper, in the 82nd Airborne, I am now taking college classes and American Sign Language is one on my classes. I have been looking for a military inspired story to sign in my class, and if it is okay with you I would be honored to use this poem for my class.
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Tanya Heckler
May 23, 2011 6:16 PMDear Clint,
I would be honored if you used my poem for your class. Just one request: could you record yourself signing my poem so that I can see what it looks like? I think it would be very cool. We would have to figure out a way to communicate away from this site. You could look me up on Facebook. I have a pic of the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin, Germany.
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Cecil Harsh
May 26, 2011 12:26 PMDear Debbe and Tanya,
I am in a retirement home, Foundation House, in Bothell, Wa. We plan to use
Tanya hecklers beautiful tribute to her father in our Memorial day observence
as our rememberence of loved ones and friends that we have lost in services in the conflicts of the twentieth century. May God bless you and comfort you
with the knowledge that your loss is not in vain and that you will all be back together one day.
Cecil and all of us .
Reply
Clint Beach
May 22, 2011 9:56 PM