Connections...

Today is not just another day in Podunk. As I drove across town, toward the northwest to see a patient, I caught a glimpse of a big silver bird, up in the sky. The silhouette was unmistakable: it was a Boeing B-17 bomber.

Boeing began building the Flying Fortresses in the 1930’s. The bomber was known for its durability; there are lots of stories out there about bombers that got their crews home safely despite damage to the plane.

I turned off the CD player; rolled down the windows, and listened for the drone…it was amazing. Fortunately for me, it was headed east and I was headed west, so I had to keep my eyes on the road. I decided that I was lucky that I got to see it at all, since I had to work today.

And then, as I was headed back east, after visiting one of my patients, there it was again. As I drove on the freeway, it was flying low and slow over downtown Podunk. And just for me, the pilot banked and headed southwest..flying right over my car.

As he headed out of my line of sight, I looked around me: life was going on as usual in Podunk. As the bomber banked, a woman was standing, waiting for the light, by the gas station. She didn’t even look up. A little ways down the street, a man was pulling weeds in his front yard. He didn’t look up, either.

The past is over and life goes on. Or does it?

I have never flown in a B-17. I don’t remember seeing one before, though I am sure I have; I was never in the military, never flew a bomb run over Europe and I wasn’t even born during World War II.

Yet, somehow, I felt a connection to that big silver bird from the past. When that bomber was dropping its payload over Germany, Podunk was just a sleepy little farming town. Many of the local boys went off to fight the war. And many of them didn’t come back.

Every year, on Memorial Day, and again on the Fourth of July and Veteran’s Day, those “boys” are out in uniform, carrying flags, and reminding us of our connection to the rest of the world. Thousands and thousands of miles from Podunk, they fought for our freedom and some of them made the ultimate sacrifice. Others still bear the physical and mental scars of their service to their country.

Why?

Podunk has grown and prospered. The sleepy little farm community now has a population of well over 100,000 people. There is a "state of the art" hospital with a nationally acclaimed Open Heart program. Former local high school athletes play on professional ball teams.

There are movie theaters, golf courses, art shows, annual gatherings of hot rod clubs, motorcycle poker runs, and of course, the world famous Sofa Art Show….We have all the modern amenities including indoor plumbing and electricity and grocery stores and farmers’ markets and Starbucks.

Today, I was reminded why….