Not Warbird related, but ...

[Mark Allen M]

... perhaps the SBD in flight with the sun setting in the background (somewhere over the South Pacific during the war) will help in some way with perspective and relation to my personal loss and warbirds in general somehow. How? not sure actually.

Tragically my older brother was killed near Pensacola FLA last Sunday while walking from a Walmart for the parking lot across a street. He was a few years older than I and left behind two grown boys. His boys are quite saddened, as are my two older sisters. Although not warbird related, my brother did somewhat follow my father's US Navy career and did indeed know what a P-51 looked like.

So if there's anything I can add that may make some sense, it's that although we live in times of deep divisions and tragic obstacles, we are still human beings who care more than we don't. Hatred for any reason is a complete waste of one's time and energy and one day you could be angry about really nothing that matters and the next making arrangements to fly home to bury a loved one.

Sorry for the bummer post. I was hesitant to do it, but my emotions got the better of me this morning.

Hopefully on a better note to all you WIXer's out there, please have a pleasant and safe holiday season with your families and friends, and try to shut off all the negative crap going on in the world and concentrate on enjoying your time with family.

No need to lecture you all that "life is short so make the most of it" as most of you who are warbird enthusiasts already have been accustomed over the years to one warbird tragedy after another, but the pain of a loss still stings for a long time no matter how one handles it and I can't help to not only think about my personal loss, but also the recent CAF tragedy in Dallas. The poor folks who lost loved one's in that terrible tragedy have been on my mind as well and I wish them all the peace in the world.

I think my way of handling this very close to home tragedy is to try to create better threads here on WIX. Hopefully that will be of benefit to not only me but some of you folks as well.

Take good care of yourselves and your families and enjoy your time together.

[Hooligan2]

So sorry to hear that Mark.

[Cvairwerks]

Tough to hear this Mark. We've been thru some family losses over the last few years, and they still hurt. The one piece of advice I can give, is forget the bad stuff and only remember the good things between you guys.

[Sopwith]

Sorry to hear this tragic news. My thoughts are with you and your family.

[Ruberneck]

Mark, sorry to hear of this.

[Michel Lemieux]

Dear Mr. Mark.

My dearest of sympathies to you and your family.

Take good care and as always....thank you for sharing your perspective on our world.

Sincerely.

Michel.

[Steve Birdsall]

I’m sorry to hear that, Mark. It’s another reminder of how our lives can be changed or lost in not much more than the blink of an eye.

[Clifford Bossie]

Sorry for your loss, Mark. My condolences.

[Lynn Allen]

Mark, I'm sad to hear this and offer you and your family my deepest condolences.

Lynn

[Chris Brame]

Very sorry for your loss, Mark, and my condolences to your nephews and sisters.

[RyanShort1]

No need to lecture you all that "life is short so make the most of it" as most of you who are warbird enthusiasts already have been accustomed over the years to one warbird tragedy after another, but the pain of a loss still stings for a long time no matter how one handles it and I can't help to not only think about my personal loss, but also the recent CAF tragedy in Dallas. The poor folks who lost loved one's in that terrible tragedy have been on my mind as well and I wish them all the peace in the world.

Having been at the show in Dallas and seen that accident, I really feel what you are saying. I will pray for you this evening and if it is brought back to my mind.

[quemerford]

My thoughts are with you and your family Mark.

[Dan K]

Very sorry for your and your family's loss, Mark.

Be sure to stay in contact with your siblings and nephews; help everyone share the load so that no one individual becomes overburdened.

Praying for quick healing from the hurt.

[Ken]

I'm very sorry for your loss. At a time when you could have chosen to be focused inward, you chose to reach out and share instead - that is part of what makes us human. May you find peace and light amongst these shadows.

Ken

[Mark Allen M]

Thanks kindly to you all. Although not trying to look for sympathy or pity, I do indeed appreciate the kind words.

I had no doubt that the WIX community would react in such a caring and genuine manner. I’ve know this for all the years I’ve been here on WIX. It also clearly shows that no matter what we all may have as differences, we still have what I believe are our similarities which is genuine human kindness.

It’s hard to feel sorry for myself when there’s so many others who are mourning just as much, if not more, in our own small Warbird community. And why these things seem to happen close to holidays I’ll never know, but I can tell you with certainty that your words of kindness are the best therapy I could have.

Whenever I would complain about life not being fair growing up my dad would always say “Whoever said life was fair? Now get out there a mow the lawn!”.