One of our Fish Springs soldiers, Matt Williams, is finally home from Iraq. After four years in the Army and two tours of duty in Iraq, this 23 year-old soldier is finally home for good. Matt grew up in Fish Springs and he attended Gardnerville Elementary, Carson Valley Middle School and Douglas High School.
He was proud to serve in the military and we certainly thank him for his service to us. Specialist Williams had an opportunity to see the world and he did his best to do it. While stationed in Germany, he was able to visit Spain, Florence, Venice and then Paris for Christmas and Copenhagen for New Year's. He had two tours of duty in Iraq. The first time he was deployed to Saddam's hometown, Tikrit, for nine months and the second time he was deployed to Baghdad for 15 months. The summers were very hot and dry and they often reached 120 to 130 degrees while the winters were very cold. There was rice with every meal and the food was very spicy. They drank very strong tea in little shot glasses. Matt said that he was very excited to come home and eat some of his Mom's most delicious "sticky chicken."
While living in Baghdad he learned about the culture of the local residents. Many of them were hesitant to speak with Americans while others became very hospitable. Specialist Williams was an intelligence analyst and his mission was to focus on the corruption of the Iraq security forces. While he was in Iraq he received a Bronze Star, but he didn't tell me - his proud mom did.
Now that he's back home here in Fish Springs, Matt said, "My life is on pause and I wouldn't have changed it at all. I had some good friends and I'm starting my life again. To start with, I'm going to take some vacations in Southern California and then I'm going to look up old friends here. Then I plan to go to college and take some criminal justice classes and hopefully get a job with the Douglas County Sheriff's Department. I'm going to stay here. I love Gardnerville."
Welcome home Matt. We've missed you.
St. Patrick's Day
When I was a kid I always wore something green on St. Patrick's Day or else I'd get pinched by other kids. I don't know where that custom came from so I checked the World Book Encyclopedia to no avail. I already knew that St. Patrick is the patron saint of Ireland but I didn't know about all his adventures. Now I know that when he was 16 he was captured by pirates from Ireland who took him as a slave for six years. He escaped to France and became a Christian monk. In 432 he had a vision that led him back to Ireland where he worked the rest of his life as a missionary bishop.
One of the best-known legends is that he charmed the snakes of Ireland down to the seashore where they drowned. He wrote an autobiography called "Confession," which was written in old Latin. I'd like to read it but I don't think I could even though I had four years of Latin in high school. St. Patrick's feast day is celebrated on March 17 wherever there are Irish people. With a name like "Monohan" I better at least wear green tomorrow or I might get pinched.
Namaste to Louise
We are saddened to learn that a very special woman, 94-year-old Louise Jenkins, died last week in Gardnerville. She was a founding member of the Wise Old Owl Yoga Class and seldom missed any senior classes with her teacher Jill Mustacchio and her many friends. Louise was a great inspiration to the rest of the class as she was extremely intelligent and interesting to be with. Namaste dear Louise, until we meet again.
"I honor the place in you in which the entire universe dwells. I honor the place in you which is of love, of truth, of light and of peace. When you are in that place in you and I am in that place in me, we are one."
-- Linda Monohan may be reached at 782-5802.
