Until We Meet Again

A Soldier's Embrace
Grapevine Train Depot
Grapevine, TX

Some images speak volumes all by themselves.  This happens to be one of my favorites.  I interpreted the image differently and isolated the subjects deliberately.  In my mind the image of the embrace is more poignant.  We are drawn by the embrace and can relate to the emotion of the moment.


Life is filled with hello's and goodbyes.  Culturally, I abhor goodbyes.  In the Spanish culture we really don't say it.  Instead, we say "hasta el luego" (until we meet again).  Or we say "adios" which literally means God be with you or God's speed.  We live with the hope of seeing each other at some point down the road.


Even the Christian faith has it's fundamental tenet that those who die in the faith will at the resurrection see each other again.  The fact is whether we are Christians or not, we all hope to see each other again.  We want that to happen.


If by chance we don't, and I hope we do meet again, I just want to say that I really will miss the companionship of all my friends that I've made along this journey.   Each has given me more than I've given them.  


When the time comes for me to depart this journey, I want a very simple epitaph on my tombstone.  One of you please remember this:  "Here lies Eliazer (Al) Hernandez who lived his life fully:  friend, father, and husband.  Everyone he met; he touched."