Well, thank God this week is over! Like you, I thought it would never get here.
There were a lot of surprises in the results — well for half the country anyway. The other half knew how things would shake out.
Like every presidential election, the results have to be accepted, just as it has been done for 248 years of our country.
All of the cheering and gloating or moaning and groaning don’t help when moving forward.
For now, it’s such a relief to turn on my TV and not having to watch or listen to another political ad. This election started too long ago, well over a year and beyond.
I wish there was a limit on how much a candidate could spend and a limit on how soon they could start advertising. The money spent countrywide for all of the offices up for grabs is obscene. I wonder how all that money could be used other than on an election.
So for now, we will see Jonathan Lawson back on TV pushing Colonial Life insurance.
Tomorrow is Veterans Day, and last week, I covered the ceremony honoring vets at Wyoming Area. Over the years dating back to the early 2000s, there were so many vets from Wyoming Area attending the luncheon thrown in their honor.
The service men and women are treated with a traditional Thanksgiving dinner including pumpkin and apple pie.
The students, usually made up of members of Student Council, tend to the Veterans in seating them and even, in some cases, serving them meals.
It’s really a nice gesture on the part of school district to show respect for Veterans in honoring them. Pittston Area does the same by having a breakfast for the Vets.
Students are well-dressed and very kind to all those attending, but what I’ve noticed is the group of vets from the Wyoming area has dwindled. Unfortunately, many have passed away in the last two decades and it’s a great gesture on the part of the school to invite vets from the VA nursing home at Wilkes-Barre and from Gino Merli at Scranton.
I believe there were about 75-100 veterans in attendance this year.
It was great to see PA State Sen. Lisa Baker in attendance dining along with the vets. She had a chance to address the group mentioning her own family and their military experiences serving the U.S.A.
After lunch, the vets march into the gymnasium to a standing ovation from the high school student body but not before they walked past Wyoming Area kindergarten students waving their U.S. flags.
I can recall the first time I witnessed the former soldiers marching into the gym years ago to live patriotic music under the direction of faculty member Shea Reilly and it was very emotional.
Veterans were teary-eyed to the standing ovation and I found myself getting choked up behind my camera.
There’s always a full chorus led by director Narda Sperrazza and this year, like every year, they sounded great.
After a few words from Superintendent Dr. Jon Pollard, the featured speaker was Wyoming Area alum, SGGT. Shawn Fernandes.
Wyoming Area always tries to find featured speakers with a Warrior background whenever it’s possible and Shawn is a bright star among many alumni that serves or has served in the Armed Forces.
I ran into Shawn a few weeks ago at Pittston Area’s career day event at the high school. Shawn is in recruiting at the moment.
Of course on Veterans Day I think of my father Frank and his two brothers John and Tony that served in the military as well as my brother Frank. I grew up when the draft was abolished and our country wasn’t involved in any conflict across the globe and joining the service was an option. I chose to go down the collegiate path.
There are times when I regret going down that avenue. For a bit of time, I was going to do what my brother did and enlist, but just like in college, I didn’t know where I wanted to specialize career-wise in the service.
I wasn’t very mature in those days, or maybe I just wasn’t decisive on my life’s goals and at times, I still don’t know what I want to do when I grow up. But at this stage of life, it’s too late to reconsider a career change.
Perhaps I’m working in the field I’m supposed to be doing after all. I really can’t say. I never received proper advice and guidance during my decisive years in high school. College wasn’t something one did in my family and I was the first and only child of three to receive a college degree.
Another reason for not going into the military was my brother chose a trade and it wasn’t granted to him and I reasoned with the idea that might happen to me as well. I had a girlfriend at the time and that played a role in not going the military route.
No matter what path you choose or have chosen, remember and thank a Veteran.
Quote of the Week
“The willingness with which our young people are likely to serve in any war, no matter how justified, shall be directly proportional to how they perceive the Veterans of earlier wars were treated and appreciated by their nation.” — George Washington
Thought of the Week
“As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them.” — President John F. Kennedy
Bumper Sticker
“A politician thinks of the next election. A statesman, of the next generation.” — James Freeman Clarke
