Peace of My Mind

We are a nation divided.  Divided by politics, religion, ideas regarding the press, freedom of speech, cable news networks, Congress, immigration, sexual orientation, and the color of skin, to name just a few.  Most of us go about our daily lives in pursuit of  things that fill our days: a business sale, lunch with someone, just getting through work, watching the kids, Netflix, keeping the boat afloat.  We may run into a TV or a newspaper that collides with our notions of who we are but for the most part we tend to spend days with people just like ourselves.  This serves as a useful insulation to the wider world that isn't exactly "just like ourselves".

Who are we?  What common values do we have as Americans?  With the rise of Trumpism here and all over the world, do we still collectively value the same things?  Remember Roosevelt's Four Freedoms he articulated in a speech and Norman Rockwell put to canvas?  They were: Freedom of Speech, Freedom of Worship, Freedom from Want, and Freedom from Fear.  Yeah, I guess that's pretty much what America stands for, right?  Or at least it used to.

Growing up in Seaton I pretty much enjoyed all those things except I hated going to church.  That's one freedom I would have gladly given up.  The freedom speech thing was kind of iffy once in a while too.  Once after I'd messed up Marj asked if I did it.  I replied, "I cannot tell a lie. Yes" and was promptly slapped.  That was a freedom that was so precious at the time.  But overall, we all had it pretty much good in that little town then.  I don't remember being afraid of anything, except maybe our first grade teacher Miss Anderson when we started to push her buttons.  That and telling Marj the whole truth without maybe blaming the Wombie first or putting it through a filter to figure out the consequences.

Do I think we all believe in those freedoms today?  Sadly, no.    Every time a member of the press is roughed up at a Trump rally I cry a little for free speech.  Every time a mosque is attacked and our President doesn't condemn the terrorist behind it, I cry a little more. Every time I see the widening class divide I cry yet some more.  And when I fear for the direction we take as a country I find there are still tears left.  I fear for the allies we have lost and the new dictators we befriend.  I fear for the National parks we have reverted back to private land, or the turning back regulations on clean water and air. I fear for a blind and spineless Congress that won't recognize its own complicity until it is too late - a climate that can no longer be changed, a Constitution that can no longer be followed, a checks and balance that is forever for the party in power.

But worse of all is the lack of cohesion that we all had once.  The chant of "We're Number 1" sounds hollow today.  We are at each others throats, aghast at the others convictions.  For me it is not the heavens limitlessness that astounds me or the question of meaning in one's life, both good questions.  It is how we are so divided. 

A naval officer in World War II, John Shea wrote to his 5 year-old son, Jackie, in San Diego a couple days before boarding his ship the carrier USS Wasp in July 1942.  

I want you to read it.

Dear Jackie,

This is the first letter I have ever written directly to my little son and I am thrilled to know that you can read it all by yourself. If you miss some of the words, I am sure it will be because I do not write very plainly. Mother will help you in that case I am sure.

I was certainly glad to hear your voice over the long-distance telephone. It sounded as though I were right in the living room with you. You sounded as though you missed your daddy very much. I miss you too, more than anyone will ever know. It is too bad this war could not have been delayed a few more years so that I could grow up again with you and do with you all the things I planned to do when you were old enough to go to school.

I thought how nice it would be for me to come home early in the afternoon and play ball with you, and go mountain-climbing and see the trees, and brooks, and learn all about woodcraft, hunting, fishing, swimming and things like that. I suppose we must be brave and put these things off for a little while.

When you are a little bigger you will know why your daddy is not home so much any more. You know we have a big country and we have ideals as to how people should live and enjoy the riches of it and how each is born with equal rights to life, freedom and the pursuit of happiness. Unfortunately, there are some countries in the world where they don’t have these ideals, where a boy cannot grow up to be what he wants to be with no limits on his opportunities to be a great man, such as a great priest, statesman, doctor, soldier, business man etc.

Because there are people and countries who want to change our nation, its ideals, forms of government and way of life, we must leave our homes and families to fight. Fighting for the defense of our country, ideals, homes and honor is an honor and a duty which your daddy has to do before he can come home to settle down with you and Mother. When it is done, he is coming home to be with you always and forever. So wait just a little while longer. I am afraid it will be more than the two weeks you told me on the phone.

In the meantime, take good care of Mother. Be a good boy and grow up to be a good young man. Study hard when you go to school. Be a leader in everything good in life. Be a good Catholic, and you can’t help being a good American. Play fair always. Strive to win but if you must lose, lose like a gentleman and a good sportsman. Don’t ever be a quitter either in sports or in your business or profession when you grow up. Get all the education you can. Stay close to Mother and follow her advice. Obey her in everything, no matter how you may at times disagree. She knows what is best and will never let you down or lead you away from the right and honorable things in life. If I don’t get back, you will have to be Mother’s protector because you will be the only one she has. You must grow up to take my place as well as your own in her life and heart. Don’t let her brood over me nor waste herself on anyone not worthy of her or you.

Love your grandmother and granddad as long as they live. They, too, will never let you down. Love your aunts and see them as often as you can. Last of all, don’t ever forget your daddy. Pray for him to come back and if it is God’s will that he does not, be the kind of a boy and man your daddy wants you to be.

Thanks for the nice sweater and handkerchiefs and particularly for the note and card. Write me very often and tell me everything.

Kiss Mother for me every night.

Goodbye for now.

With all my love and devotion for Mother and you,

Your daddy



Lt. Commander John Shea seemed to know what we stood for then.  The Four Freedoms.  They haven't changed.  I think that's still America, somewhere under the partisan blather, hate of others that don't look like us, the news networks that distort for the personal glorification of one person.  The decayed morals and hurtful rhetoric.  

Two months after Officer John Shea wrote that letter to his son, torpedoes slammed into the USS Wasp.  Lt. Shea who was midway up the "island", where control of the ship was, climbed down grabbing a hose and began extinguishing a fire on the deck.  Shortly after, fires ripped through the magazines of ammo and the deck blew up.  His body was never found.  The Wasp sank after a long and valiant fight to save her.  194 men were killed that day in the Coral Sea in the Western Pacific.

Let's remember those four freedoms that probably encapsulates more than anything the basic idea of America.  Let us resolve that in our own small way, we will carry on that idea in our daily lives.  Remember those words in the letter that says "people...who want to change our way of life."  It is happening everyday.  Maybe some day soon we will once again be able to join in "We're Number 1" and it will be true.