Who do you celebrate today?…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"template":"","meta":{"article":"I think it was 2 years ago I shared a message like I\u2019m sharing now, so some of you may remember it.\u00a0 When my paternal grandfather was alive, he would often want to share stories with us of his time in the Navy during WWII.\u00a0 I\u2019ll say it plain and simple, as hard as it is to admit, but I just wasn\u2019t that interested.\u00a0 I wish I could say that I was too young to realize the significance of what I was turning away, but I was not.\u00a0 When I look back on that time, I don\u2019t know why I not only never really sat and listened to his stories, but that I didn\u2019t press him to tell me everything he could remember.\u00a0 Here I was, every month for years in the presence of someone from our greatest generation and I never really learned about what he did.\u00a0 As I write this, it\u2019s a reminder of one of the biggest regrets I have in life.\r\n\r\nI wish I could honor his service by sharing what this amazing man did, but all I can remember is that he was in the Navy during WWII.\u00a0 One of the things that I believe was going through my head at the time was\u2026..I\u2019ll ask him NEXT time I\u2019m over.\u00a0 We\u2019ve all done that with someone on some subject, I\u2019m sure.\u00a0 Well, as we all know, at some point there is no next time.\u00a0 If I could go back, not only would I sit down with my grandfather and ask him to tell me everything he could remember, I would have documented it for him.\u00a0 But unfortunately, I\u2019m going to have to wait a little longer until we see each other in heaven.\u00a0 Opportunity missed\u2026\u2026big time.\r\n\r\nIf you have a loved one that has been in the military, take the time to listen to everything they have to say if they are trying to share it with you.\u00a0 Not everyone who has served wishes to share, and that is ok as well.\u00a0 But carry on their legacy with the knowledge of what they have gone through to honor their service to the country.\u00a0 As the greatest generations surviving members quickly shrinks, we are losing that direct contact to the events of those days.\u00a0 If you are privileged enough to have a member in your family, don\u2019t wait another day to ask them about their time.\u00a0 If you come across a member in public and they are willing to share, listen to what they say.\u00a0 We forget that many of these incredible people were thrust into the war as teens, fighting for this country, fighting for their lives, and fighting for the people beside them at a time when many current teenagers are worried about how many people follow them on social media.\r\n\r\nTo my grandfather, Albert Squillaciotti, you were a great man to our family, a great man to my grandmother, and a great man to this country.\u00a0 You were a man of eternal happiness that maybe deserved grand kids that were more appreciative of your service to this country, but you treated us like your own blood from the time we met you, a time before I even could even formulate memories.\u00a0 When my time on this earth is done, I certainly hope you will share with me in heaven, everything you went through in your service to this country.\u00a0 Love you, Pop-Pop.","featured_image":"","featured_image_id":"","featured_article":""},"categories":[],"class_list":["post-387","news","type-news","status-publish","hentry"],"yoast_head":"\n