Thursday, June 18, 2015
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5A
Seeing the beauty in Old Glory
I
don’t know how to explain it, but something happens when I see our American flag being presented in a ceremony. A lump forms in my throat and my spine gets about as straight as it can. That flag is a reminder of the many men in my family who have served our nation at wartime. I had uncles who served in World War II and a brother-in-law who was called to war in Iraq. I have two flags associated with my dad. One draped his casket. The other was flown over the U.S. Capitol in his memory. I have triangular wooden boxes holding each of them. Sometimes, I like to open them and feel the overlapping stitches of each star or the seams that separate the red and white stripes. All sorts of legends exist about the design of our flag, and the role of seamstress Betsy Ross. I don’t know the exact truth, but I know 238 years ago, it officially became the emblem of our country. It was by the grace of God my daddy didn’t come home from Germany in a flag-draped coffin. He loved this country and passed that love to his boys. We were coming of age at the end of the Vietnam War and didn’t choose the route of military service, but I have great respect for those who served under and fought for the flag. I have seen that banner fly in some of the most beautiful places in this country. I have seen her waving over some of Washington’s most incredible sites. I was awestruck the first time I saw the Iwo Jima memorial where the Marines of the statue replicate the erection of our flag in one of the most memorable moments of World War II. I have seen her at halfstaff in our beautiful national cemeteries on
Harris Blackwood the day of burials. Flying at the lowered level is a somber reminder we are conducting the final rites for one who served our nation with honor. The folding of a flag with reverence is one of the most beautiful things I’ve witnessed. There is a meaning behind each of the 13 folds, and it so touching. When the flag is presented to an aging widow, who years before welcomed her husband back from war, it is a thing of beauty. When it is presented to a surviving spouse who recently sent a loved one off to war and is now seated at their burial, it is a moment of sadness and pain. We get angry when people desecrate or burn our flag. But is that any worse than those who ignore her waving and the playing of our National Anthem at a sporting event? You can’t force anybody to be patriotic. Some folks because of their religious beliefs will not salute our flag. While I don’t agree, I support their right to do so. Still others are just ignorant about respect for the flag. That’s why they have to announce a reminder to remove your hats at car races. But, oh, there is something beautiful about an old soldier who somehow finds the energy to stand on wobbly legs and lift a handful of bent fingers to salute the flag for which they once risked their life. That’s one of those times you’ll find that lump in your throat. Harris Blackwood is a Gainesville resident whose columns appear weekly.
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He was a father to be remembered It happens all the time. Tink will meet someone new around where we live and, invariably, that person will mention my daddy. “You should have knowed Ralph Satterfield,” one man said during an encounter at the funeral home. “Finest man I ever did know.” “You should have heard him preach,” the plumber said as he labored over the lines broken during a winter’s freeze. “He could get hold of the hand of God like nobody else I ever seen.” His eyes moistened. “Now, I’m tellin’ ya it was something to behold. He was a great man of the Lord.” “I’ll never forget when I was in the hospital for a month, fighting against a miscarriage,” said a cousin who stopped by the table during lunch at the soda fountain. “Ralph came to see me and before he left, he took my hand and said, ‘There you go, kid.’ He closed my hand around some money.” It was $35, a lot more money 50 years ago than it is today. Probably all he had. “He had a way about him like no one I’ve ever known,” said our pastor from the pulpit once. “I admired him so much because I have never seen a preacher who had such a powerful, captivating
Ronda Rich way in how he delivered his sermons. He had a remarkable way of holding an audience in the palm of his hand.” “One time I took my car to him to get it fixed,” recalled a farmer, now old and gray. “I said, ‘Now, Ralph, I ain’t got no money to pay ya right now.’ He drew himself up and looked at me with a stern eye and said in that no-nonsense voice he used sometimes, ‘Now, you don’t worry about that, do you hear me? I ain’t a bit worried about gittin’ my money. You just pay me when you can and if you can’t ever pay, that’ll be fine, too.’ He fixed it and it took me about a year but I got him paid a little at a time.” “I got saved under his preachin’ one time during summer revival. He baptized me, too, in Town Creek near the Stancil farm.” This came from someone Tink met in the hardware store. One day, Tink came in from the barbershop after hearing a new Ralph Sat-
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Said a preacher about Ralph Satterfield, father of Ronda Rich terfield story. “I just love hearing stories about your daddy. What a great man he must have been. Whenever anyone from around here finds out that I’m married to you, they want to tell me about your daddy.” From the myriad stories that have risen up from strangers or new friends and presented themselves to Tink about my daddy, his admiration has grown to the point that he always says to them and then to me, “I wish I had known him. He did so much good with his life and helped so many people.” My husband has opened my eyes to something I took for granted — I was raised and schooled about life by a man of legendary portions; a man, though humble and one who ran a garage business through the week in order to feed his family, farmed in the early mornings and Saturdays, then preached for the Lord on Sunday, who
will never have a monument built to his honor. His name, though remembered by many now, is not famous and will, most likely, be forgotten after two or three generations of us die out. But those touched by his 78 years on earth have not forgotten. They remember well the finest example of a simple common man with an uncommon touch for helping his neighbors. He served his country, his God and his community. I’m ashamed that I had overlooked much of it in the years he’s been gone. I’m thankful to Tink who showed me Daddy from a new set of admiring eyes. Mostly, though, I’m thankful for such a good fatherly example. Ronda Rich is the best-selling author of several books. Sign up for her newsletter at www.rondarich.com. Her column appears weekly.
Sheriff Mangum: Education is the best protection against crime To The Businesses and Professional Community of Jackson County and Concerned Citizens:
P.O. Box 430 Hoschton, GA 30548
I have never seen a preacher who had such a powerful, captivating way in how he delivered his sermons. He had a remarkable way of holding an audience in the palm of his hand.
The devastating effect of substance abuse reaches all ages, ethnic, and social groups. Experience tells us this problem cannot be solved by law enforcement action alone, but takes the active support and resources of the entire community. The law is a deterrent, but education is our best protection. With that being said, a representative of L.A.W. Publications will be visiting local businesses, working jointly with the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office, in our ongoing Drug Awareness, Crime Prevention, Domestic Violence, Children’s Safety and Emergency Preparedness educational programs. We have been involved with these issues since I took office and I must continually look for resources to assist our office in assisting us with providing these services
This project will spotlight drug awareness, bullying... and information on cyber-crime, identity theft, scams, fraud... to our youth and community. You can assist the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office and your community, by allowing the L.A.W. Publications’ representative a few moments to explain this program and provide you with a better understanding of how it will assist our office and benefit your community. Although you are under no obligation to give to this project, I believe this will be a great tool for educating parents and our youth. I would like to express my sincere
thanks and appreciation for the continued support for the projects to include the calendar production for the last two years. This project will be replacing the calendars, and will be more of an educational tool for our citizens. The publications will be an excellent resource for our schools, homeowners and civic groups as they will include information on drug awareness, bullying, life choices and information on cyber-crime, identity theft, scams and fraud and steps to protecting your home and property. If you are a student, teacher, parent or member of an organization and would like more information or need assistance in any way, please give us a call. Only through a combined effort, can we expect to successfully protect our most precious resources, our children, for the future of our community. Sincerely, Janis G. Mangum, Sheriff