High Flight

Lt. Edward Rody Ryan

September 21, 1921 ~ April 5, 1944

My Dad

High Flight

Oh! I have slipped the surly bonds of Earth. 

And danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings; 

Sunward I've climbed, and joined the tumbling mirth. 

Of sun-split clouds - and done a hundred things 
You have not dreamed of 

- wheeled and soared and swung. 

High in the sunlit silence. Hov'ring there,

I've chased the shouting wind along, 

and flung my eager craft through footless halls of air ....

Up, up the long, delirious burning blue. 

I've topped the wind-swept heights with easy grace. 

Where never lark, or ever eagle flew — 

And, while with silent, lifting mind I've trod. 

The high untrespassed sanctity of space, 

Put out my hand, and touched the face of God. 

by John Gillespie Maggee, Jr.

American Volunteer RCAF

KIA, December 11, 1941

Soldier, rest!  Thy warfare o'er,

Sleep the sleep that knows not breaking,

Dream of battled fields no more,

Days of danger, nights of waking.

~Sir Walter Scott~
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"When we've been here ten thousand years
Bright shining as the sun.
We've no less days to sing God's praise
Than when we've first begun."

What hopeful words!  The day will come when time will no longer exist, and I will finally meet my Savior and my Heavenly Father.  But I also look forward to meeting this father for the first time!

Then this hole in my heart will be healed.


http://www.354thpmfg.com/EdwardR.Ryan.html
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8grTsZjXDJ4