I'm just sayin...: RIP Robin Williams

Know Your Medal of Honor Recipients:

Private James Richmond (US Army) received his Medal of Honor for his actions on July 3, 1863, at Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. His citation reads:

Capture of flag.

First Lieutenant Edward V. Rickenbacker (US Army) received his Medal of Honor for his actions on September 25, 1918, near Billy, France. His citation reads:

For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity above and beyond the call of duty in action against the enemy near Billy, France, 25 September 1918. While on a voluntary patrol over the lines, 1st Lt. Rickenbacker attacked 7 enemy planes (5 type Fokker, protecting two type Halberstadt). Disregarding the odds against him, he dived on them and shot down one of the Fokkers out of control. He then attacked one of the Halberstadts and sent it down also.

Lieutenant Milton Ernest Ricketts (US Navy) received his Medal of Honor for his actions on May 8, 1942, on board the USS Yorktown. His citation reads:

For extraordinary and distinguished gallantry above and beyond the call of duty as Officer-in-Charge of the Engineering Repair Party of the U.S.S. Yorktown in action against enemy Japanese forces in the Battle of the Coral Sea on 8 May 1942. During the severe bombarding of the Yorktown by enemy Japanese forces, an aerial bomb passed through and exploded directly beneath the compartment in which Lt. Ricketts' battle station was located, killing, wounding or stunning all of his men and mortally wounding him. Despite his ebbing strength, Lt. Ricketts promptly opened the valve of a near-by fireplug, partially led out the fire hose and directed a heavy stream of water into the fire before dropping dead beside the hose. His courageous action, which undoubtedly prevented the rapid spread of fire to serious proportions, and his unflinching devotion to duty were in keeping with the highest traditions of the U.S. Naval Service. He gallantly gave his life for his country.

How sad that someone so funny… someone who could make anyone laugh just by simply walking into the room couldn’t laugh his way out of depression. If ever there was evidence that depression is a real disease… and it’s a sonofabitch, this is it. I have been fortunate in my life that God has given me the ability to almost always make myself laugh. At times, this is a curse, since it almost always happens at inappropriate times. Still, there have been times (luckily brief times) when I have been unable to laugh. I wanted to laugh… I wanted to be happy… I just couldn’t. Truth is, I’ve probably had passing thoughts of suicide (back in college… and maybe one Saturday morning at the Lake House last December). Lucky for me, not only did God make me able to laugh at myself… He also made me (very) lazy. So my thoughts were never more than that. And I’ve learned over time that “this too shall pass” is a good thing to remember when things are bad. I’ve also learned that things are never as good as they seem when you’re winning and never as bad as they seem when you’re losing. Of course, I’m sure what I’ve dealt with is bouts of “sadness”, not depression. From what I understand, depression keeps you from thinking straight. It keeps you from remembering how much your friends and family love you. You convince yourself that they won’t miss you and that they will all be better off without you. If you ever feel this way, give me a call. You know I’m incapable of lying… so if I tell you that you’re right, you’ll know it. And if I tell you that you’re wrong, you can believe it. On the off chance you won’t or can’t call me… then I’d like you to remember something from one of the Rocky movies (Rocky V, I believe… which is kind of funny, since that would make it the only good thing to come from Rocky V). There’s a scene when Rocky is having a flashback to when Mickey has just given him his golden glove necklace…

See that? This is the favorite thing that I have on this Earth. And Rocky Marciano give me that. You know what it was? His cufflink. Huh? And now I'm givin' it to you and it, it's gotta be like a, like an angel on your shoulder see? If you ever get hurt and you feel that you're goin' down this little angel is gonna whisper in your ear. It's gonna say, 'Get up you son of a bitch 'cause Mickey loves you'. Okay?

So if you ever feel down and feel like life has beaten you down, I want you to listen to that little angel as it whispers in your ear: “GET UP YOU SONOFABITCH, ‘cause Greggie loves you”.

Picture Thursday

At the park with Daddy... before a thunderstorm rolled in.

A birthday picture with Mommy

The girls playing "Tea"... Yeah, Daniel is there too... but he kept getting in trouble because he wasn't "playing right". I'm not sure I've ever been prouder of him.