Cherry Blossom Time

42 years ago, almost to the day, Glen McDaniel and myself explored the cherry blossom festival in Chinhae, South Korea. we were Navy boys. Glen left the ship not long after, fell in love, married a young lady in the Philippines, had a child and bought a pig farm there. I came home.

I’ve always been terrified of heights, so when we had to climb the ship’s stack to perform antenna maintenance, he would use his lanyard to help secure me in place and then casually walk out onto the narrow yardarm platform to access the equipment without any protection. He was a fearless giant.

I think about Glen now and then and wonder if he’s still over there. Wherever he is, I hope he’s well and happy. He was a gentleman of high degree.

That is to say, this all reminds me if this classic poem by A E Housman, “Loveliest of Trees”

Enjoy the season.