Day 75- Yellow Ribbon

On the way home today, I drove by the same houses I've driven past a hundred times.  For some reason, I really noticed them today, and I was quite pleased by what I found.  On one house, I saw a big fat yellow ribbon tied around a big fat tree.

I love this simple gesture and what it stands for.

I remember when this practice was much more commonplace during Desert Storm, and my parents drove all over our small town taking pictures of the ribbons posted everywhere.  My cousin was overseas, and my second grade class spent a day writing letters to him.  He was so touched by his packet of letters that he found me a music box and sent it back to me.  It looked like a couple little kittens crawling out of a box and played "Memories" from-you guessed it- Cats.  I'm not a huge fan of cats, but I love Cats, and I cherished that music box as much as he cherished our letters.

This yellow ribbon business also lead me to a great appreciation for "Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Old Oak Tree" by Tony Orlando.  I would sit by our record player and move the little arm back over the song again and again and again.  I even figured out the exact spot to place the arm to hear my favorite verse,

"Now the whole damn bus is cheering

And I can't believe I see
A hundred yellow ribbons 'round the old oak tree
I'm comin' home "

I remember hoping and praying that everyone could come home to this kind of reception.  I still do.  As much as I appreciate the yellow ribbon down the road, I will be happy for the day when everyone returns home safely, and it can be taken down.  I know that world peace is a lofty goal to reach for, but I hope that we can begin to achieve it one yellow ribbon at a time.  God Bless our troops!

Thank you, yellow ribbon, you made my day.

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