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They seized the day
Wednesday, February 1, 2012 at 04:44PM 
L to R: "Mac" with roommates Jerry Bergh and Pete Peters. Photo courtesy BJ Brown.Last weekend while hanging out at The Citadel's McAlister Field House, Audrey and I stood before several display cases crammed with team pictures, awards, and related memorabilia.
Some of the items and accolades went back a good many years.
You'd have to know Audrey to appreciate this, but without preamble or warning she cracked me up by launching into a throatily urgent, ethereal whisper of carpe … carpe diem … seize the day, boys … from behind me, directly into my ear.
I was laughing because of her pitch-perfect mimicry, not being flip about the gravity of the situation.
Of all memorable movie moments, as far as I'm concerned Robin Williams's carpe diem seize the day speech at the beginning of Dead Poets Society ranks in the top fifty.
L to R: Pete Peters, Mac, BJ Brown, Jerry Bergh. Along with his flight instructor, Pete Peters would die in a mid-air collision before the end of 1952. Photo courtesy BJ Brown.
(It's not only priceless, but chillingly true. As I'm fond of saying: Even when it's long, life is short.)
When we got home I checked my emails and found I had a personal message on Find A Grave.
The note was from one BJ Brown, USAF (Ret.), and he was writing to let me know that he was roommates with my dad at Bainbridge Air Base, Georgia, while they were in flight school during the summer and fall of 1952.
In subsequent emails BJ explained that he had found some old pictures among his effects, and it reminded him of my father -- who he remembers as "Mac" -- so he Googled his name.
That's how he found my Find A Grave memorial to my dad.
My father (L) on the flight line at Bainbridge with fellow pilot Max Lee. Photo courtesy BJ Brown.
BJ has sent me several pictures of my father posing with his roommates and other friends. I have very few candid photos of my dad so this was like finding unexpected treasure.
Recently I read something that intrigued me. I cannot remember where I saw it so I'm unable to give credit.
I paraphrase but it went like this: There is an invisible line from our birth to our death -- from the cradle to the grave as it were. The line represents our life, no matter how short or long it may be. And our grave is just as much a part of that line, and therefore of us, as our birth and the lifespan we are given.
I didn't know my father at all and I've never been to his grave. His roommate from sixty years ago knew him better than I and remembers things about him I can only guess at.
In the pictures BJ sent me, my father is twenty-one -- nearly two years younger than my own son today.
L to R: BJ Brown, Mac, and the doomed Pete Peters pose beside my father's car. Photo courtesy BJ Brown. It would be at least another year before he met my mother.
He didn't know it but he had only sixteen years left to live.
My father was past the midpoint of that line from the cradle to what some would consider an early grave. But because ignorance is bliss, he laughed in the sun and learned to fly airplanes and made close friends.
In recent days one of those friends remembered him and, through the miracle of the Internet, gave me a glimpse of my father I couldn't have gotten from anyone else.
Way to seize the day, BJ. Carpe diem.
God bless you.
Reader Comments (7)
How lucky was that. So glad you got a glimpse of your dad and his early life.
Some people live life to the fullest, doing what makes them happy and fulfills their need to serve. Some people live long lives, while never really 'living'. Seize the day indeed.
Oh Jenny, I am speechless at how wonderful this was. What great pictures these are and what a treasure. And to find you through Find A Grave. See, wonderful things happen through that site!! I am so happy for you to finally have so many great photos of your father. He was a handsome guiy and reminds me so much of your Andrew.
Blessings to you ,
G.
What a thoughtful thing for him to do, and so meaningful to you!
Goodness your Dad was a Looker Girl!!! Very handsome!
I'll have to check out that site! How wonderful he contacted you...Any memory is a Great one!
hughugs
Very touching.
I don't remember my mother either , as she comitted suicide, through depression , under a train, when I was 4. I only have other peoples memories to 'know' her.
My step mother to her credit has done much to find memories of my real mother from friends and family.
Well hell....I say that with tears in my eyes from this post. I'll say that even when im older too. Its just what I say to deal with such precious things like this. What a gift indeed. I had chills from reading this and I am so very glad you got these pics and the memories. I loved looking at them. HUGS.
And on a side note...a little Angel brought some treasures thru the mail that I will keep close to my heart. Small things to me matter most, wouldn't you agree? ;)