My father and his three brothers proudly served in World War II. They gave five years of their young lives for our Country. However, unlike many other young soldiers from the Greatest Generation, all four brothers returned home to love, have families, and live out their dreams. The following prayer is not mine. Elma Dean wrote it, entitled “Letter to St. Peter.” John Gorka adapted it in his heartfelt song “Let Them In.” God bless all soldiers – those who did not come home and those who lived long lives with the memories of what they had experienced – all to preserve our freedom.
Jack Sr., Jack Jr.(my father), Hewett, Jennie, Robert, and Donald.
Prayer to St. Peter
by Elma Dean
Let them in, Peter, they are very tired
Give them couches where the angels sleep, and light those fires
Let them wake whole again, to brand new dawns
Fired by the sun not wartime’s bloody guns
May their peace be deep, remember where the broken bodies lie
God knows how young they were to have to die
God knows how young they were to have to die
So give them things they like, let them make some noise
Give dance hall bands not golden harps, to these our boys
And let them love, Peter. For they’ve had no time,
They should have trees and bird songs and hills to climb
The taste of summer, in a ripened pear,
And girls sweet as meadow wind, with flowing hair
And tell them how they are missed, but say not to fear
It’s gonna be alright, with us down here. Amen.
John Gorka – “Let Them In” – YouTube
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Jack H. Emmott is a Senior Counsel of Gray, Reed & McGraw, LLP, a 145-lawyer full-service firm in Houston, Dallas, and Waco, Texas, a Board-Certified Family Law and Master Credentialed Collaborative Law Professional Divorce Attorney, Mediator, Author, Entrepreneur, and Inspirational Speaker. For more information about Jack or his latest book, Bending Angels: Living Messengers of God’s Love, go to the Bending Angel website.