Life tells us we can’t go back in time. What’s done is done, relegated to that part of our brain that stores memories. Some aspects of our past we’d rather forget, and we would readily change the results from those if we only could.
But other aspects fall into the nostalgia category – those good times, places, and people we choose not to forget but remember with fondness.
“Nostalgia is the warm feeling of remembering the good times that are gone but never forgotten.” ~ unknown
In November, we two empty nesters embarked on a road trip to celebrate Thanksgiving with extended family in another state – a state we once lived in long ago.
Back in 2024, having not visited there in over 20 years, we took a whirlwind weekend trip to attend my great nephew’s wedding in that state, but we didn’t have the opportunity to re-visit a place we resided in the early years of our marriage.
On our more recent trip, we thoroughly enjoyed spending time for the Thanksgiving holiday with my sister and brother-in-law, our nieces, grand nephews and niece, their spouses, and their little ones. Family time is always special to us, and this one was memorable.
We also allotted time for a day trip from my sister and brother-in-law’s home to the locale where we used to live and hadn’t visited for 40 years. Forty years is a long time. Progress continued, changes happened, yet as we drove around, memories surfaced.
Today’s Tuesday Tour reflects a place we re-visited that evoked many reminiscences – a blast from the past if you will.
The year was 1977. Papa and I were newly married, traveling midway across the country in a used car dragging a small U-Haul trailer behind filled with our worldly goods and a few wedding gifts.
Our destination was Oklahoma where Papa would begin his US Army officer training in field artillery at historic Fort Sill. Why is this Army post historic? It’s currently the only still active fort that was built in the southern plains during Native American uprisings. Major General Philip Sheridan staked that frontier fort out in January 1869.
Fort Sill is designated as a National Historic Landmark and continues to serve as the home of the U.S. Army Field Artillery and Field Artillery School, which my husband attended as a newly-minted second lieutenant.
When we newlyweds arrived, we located a one-bedroom furnished apartment to rent in Lawton, the nearby town. Our apartment back in 1977 was in a complex set in a less populated area of town. And now 48 years later, that apartment complex is gone and the area is built up considerably.
The city has changed and grown since our time living there, yet we easily found our way around by remembering main street names and noticing landmarks that had stood the test of time. After satisfying our curiosity about what Lawton is like now, we proceeded to the nearby Army post where not only Papa worked but we also lived during two separate tours of duty.
Times have certainly been altered; no longer can one just drive onto a military base like we once did through the main gate called the Key Gate. Now Fort Sill is a “closed post” meaning access to the public must be authorized.
Those without valid military IDs must locate a visitor control center where a “Real ID” is needed to procure a visitor’s pass to enter the post for the day. Fortunately, we possessed those, and we attempted to acclimate ourselves to the differences at this place from our past.
As we drove through the officer housing area, where we lived in two different houses, some things remained the same and some very different – for the better I might add.
The houses had obviously been updated – a good thing. And there were playgrounds for children, a community center, and even an outdoor swimming pool. Wow, we exclaimed, we never had any of those amenities as military families all those years ago.
The commissary (military grocery store) and PX (Post Exchange, a retail store for military families) were also completely changed and updated. The chapel where we worshipped God was still as lovely as before.
Many other buildings remained the same, and we were pleased to see historic areas preserved. The unit Papa served in is now defunct, but we were able to locate where it once was housed. At one time, I also worked on post but some changes prevented us from distinguishing the building that housed my employer.
Before leaving, we perused an area where various field artillery equipment is on display. Papa spent considerable time inspecting them while I snapped photos.
On our way out we spied a statue that was new to us. The Field Artilleryman, donated by the US Field Artillery Association Foundation, honors all those who served in that branch of the Army and Papa proudly posed next to it.
That little trip down memory lane was so worth the time. It brought back many memories, mostly good ones, of our early married life, friends we met during our time there, and how our experiences back then prepared us for our future.
“The past is never lost; it’s just waiting for you to visit again in your memories.” ~ unknown
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