Photo: Pixabay
From graduations to weddings, Americans are definitely finding creative ways to celebrate special events in spite of coronavirus-related shutdowns. One family in Arvada, Colorado found a fun way to honor their son’s enlistment with the Navy.
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A tale of canceled plans
The Ruiz family of Arvada had been anticipating giving their son Joseph the gift of a cruise, to celebrate his enlistment with the Navy. However, when the cruise canceled due to the pandemic, they opted for a going-away party. That, too, got canceled. If those two things weren’t enough to put a damper on the party spirit, the family also discovered that they would be unable to attend Joseph’s swearing-in ceremony.
But Coloradans are resilient. The Ruizes chose to live up to Charles Swindoll’s adage, “life is 10 percent what happens to you and 90 percent how you react to it.”
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A creative alternative
The family organized a car parade sendoff to show Joseph their support as he drove from his home to the Navy recruiting station. More than a dozen cars from friends and family participated, waving encouraging signs and honking to express their pride.
Even though Joseph was wearing a face mask, the parade elicited an emotional reaction from him, as you can tell from watching the video clip. It meant so much to him that he claims that he cried most of the way to the station. “I was hugging on my family, just telling them goodbye one last time before I go to the Navy and start my real life.”
We wish Joseph the best of luck in the new chapter of his naval career. For the rest of us, it’s a great reminder to keep pursuing life goals no matter what obstacles get in the way.
Whitney Russell resides in Dayton, though her spirit can be found beach-bumming in Puerto Rico (the land of her half-Puerto Rican heritage). When not crafting car-related content, she can be found chasing after the most amazing toddler in the world, watching her “beaver” of a husband build amazing woodworking projects, hanging out with two crazy dogs, and visiting family and friends. She also enjoys traveling, crafting, and binge-watching period dramas when time allows. See more articles by Whitney.