Let me tell you about my dad, a United States Marine who fought during the Korean war.

Sigh.... the Korean war was the forgotten war. My dad never talked about his service. To him, it was a mission, a job that needed to be done. When he came home from that service responsibility, he began his career as an Electrical Engineer first with a Chemical company on the east coast, then coming home to Minnesota where he began his career with Northern States Power Company. He also met the girl he would marry and settle first in a rental house not far from Lake Harriett and then in a 3 bedroom rambler in the city of St. Louis Park.

My dad taught me two things in life. First, the importance of hard work, and second it is okay for men to cry. 

The point I want to high light is the second one.  There were two times I was aware of where I actually saw my dad cry. One was when we were all sitting around the kitchen table when my dad got the call from a family member informing him that his only surviving member of his family, his brother, died on the operating table, His heart was badly damaged from his earlier battle with Rheumatic Fever- so much that there wasn't anything the doctors could do to save him.

The other time was when I called him on June 10th to let him know that his granddaughter died the first night home after her surgery at Gillette Children's hospital. In both cases, the cry from my dad was the bellyaching, heavy sobs variation- something I will never forget.

In one sense, it seems incongruent for this former United States Marine, tough guy image to lose his emotions like this, but in another sense, it served as a reminder for the rest of us guys that it is okay to cry when we sense the bubbling up of our emotions.

In fact, I may speculate that if all of us would allow our emotions to rip open to allow the healing tears to flow, we just may see the lessening impact of  PTSD and a reduced desire to drink alcoholic beverages just to down our sorrow.

Men. we need to give our son's and daughter's permission to cry whenever sorrow comes their way in this life filled with many losses.

Thank you, dad, for being part of my life.  One more thing.  You would be proud of your grandson for the man he has become, 

Finally, thank you for your military service during the Korean War. Your service has not been forgotten.