An Elephant Ride
Although I don't recall our mom verbally telling us to 'pay attention' to all that is happening around us, she helped us see the beauty in our surroundings and shared natural observations with us that cultivated an awe and respect of nature. This influence impacted Chris throughout his life and is evident in his emails and letters to me. In May 2000, he spent time in Thailand. It was there he had a pendant made for me, which I wore daily when he was deployed. During this stay, he also had adventures that were quite different from anything we experienced growing up. In three different emails, Chris wrote about elephants. Google, in its infinite repository of knowledge, provided great insight into these magnificent creatures. They have close family bonds, are spirited, playful, protective and have excellent memories. Whether my brother knew this or not, he had similar attributes. Since today, September 22nd, is National Elephant Appreciation Day, it seemed like the perfect t...