by Michelle Shocklee
I’m the proud daughter of a World War II veteran. In 1942, not long after the bombing of Pearl Harbor, my dad joined the Army Air Forces. He was twenty-two years old and served as a Ball Turret Gunner on B-17 bombers—you know, the guy in the tiny bubble on the belly of the big plane. Dad was a quiet man and rarely spoke of his time in the war. He’d seen things and done things that forever changed him, not necessarily in a good way. War veterans often avoid talking about the turbulent days they’ve experienced, because it serves as a reminder of events better left forgotten. That can be hard on the people who love them and only want to help, including their daughters.
Because of Dad’s service during the war, I’ve become a student of all-things WWII. I’m excited to share this passion with readers in my new novel All We Thought We Knew, set in the 1940s and 1960s on a Tennessee horse farm. But I also explore the often complicated relationship between fathers and daughters through characters as imperfect as my dad and me. While some girls are fortunate to have dads who are comfortable in their role, many of us had fathers who simply didn’t know what to do with a daughter. My dad was one of them.
Kurt Taylor, the father in All We Thought We Knew, is very much like my dad. A quiet, gentle man who shows love by providing for his family through hard work. This kind of dad would rather sit quietly and read a book than share in the noise and activity of the family. Kurt’s relationship with his daughter Mattie, however, isn’t based on my relationship with my late father. Mattie is strong-willed, independent, and outspoken—traits I didn’t gain as the youngest of five children—which leads to her butting heads with Kurt, nearly severing their relationship for good. I’m grateful that never happened to me, but I know there are many women whose fathers aren’t part of their lives for different reasons.
Mattie’s frustrations with her emotionally absent father, however, mirror mine in some ways. Mom was a schoolteacher and filled our home with love, books, delicious food, and biblical principles. Dad, an engineer by trade, stayed constantly busy. When he wasn’t at his office, he was consumed with the enormous task of building our beautiful adobe home in Santa Fe, New Mexico, doing most of the work himself. At one point, he also owned several gas stations. There was no time for playing catch in the yard with my brothers or reading bedtime stories to my sister and me. Being a good provider was how he showed love toward his family.
Looking back, I wish I could tell him I needed more. I long to curl up on Dad’s lap and tell him about my day at school, or watch a silly movie with him. I’d love to go to him with my questions about life, boys, and God.
The role of a father, I’ve come to believe, requires more than the ability to put food on the table and a roof over our heads. While I’m grateful for my dad’s hard work through the years, it would have benefitted my siblings and me if he’d worked as hard on his relationship with us.
In All We Thought We Knew, Mattie is forced to come face to face with what she’s always believed about her father. To see the man she’s known her whole life through different eyes. Family secrets are revealed. Shocking truths are uncovered. Nothing is easy and nothing makes sense. It ultimately comes down to the question of, can she move forward with her dad when everything in their past tells her to give up?
I’m thankful for the daddy God gave me. He may have been quiet and reserved, but he loved my mom, my siblings, and me in the best way he knew how. Most importantly, he loved Jesus. Dad’s been gone many years now, but it is with great joy that I look forward to spending eternity with him in heaven.
About the Author
Michelle Shocklee is the author of several historical novels, including Appalachian Song, Count the Nights by Stars, a Christianity Today fiction book award winner, and Under the Tulip Tree, a Christy and Selah Awards finalist. Married to her college sweetheart, she makes her home in Tennessee. Connect with her at www.MichelleShocklee.com.
About the Book
News that her mother is dying sends Mattie back home, despite blaming her father for her twin brother’s death. Mama’s last wish is that Mattie would read some old letters stored in a locked trunk, from people Mattie doesn’t even know. Mama insists they hold the answers Mattie is looking for.
Did You Know?
Did you know Christmas symbols and traditions can focus our hearts on the character of Jesus? When holiday hoopla lures us from the adoration of Christ, decorations and activities of Christmas can remind us of Jesus’ attributes and redirect our worship to Him.
Some say the evergreen tree received the honor of becoming a symbol of Christmas because no other tree had foliage in mid-winter. Unlike deciduous trees whose leaves change colors and fall to the ground, evergreens stay the same throughout every season. When we decorate and enjoy our Christmas trees, we thank God that Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and always (Hebrews 13:8).
The custom of sending Christmas cards began in the mid-1800s as a marketing tool for the postal service in Great Britain. Over time mass printing reduced costs, and cards filled with encouraging words became a staple of the holiday season. Today, Christmas cards remind us Jesus is the Word of God who speaks to us through His Word—the Bible.
The Brothers Grimm fairy tale, “Hansel and Gretel,” inspired our tradition of gingerbread houses at Christmas. Bakers in Germany competed to bake and build the most flavorful and charming cookie cottages. Now pre-made kits simplify the process. Our gingerbread houses remind us to build our lives on Jesus, who is our strong foundation.
Embrace the symbols and traditions this Christmas season to focus your attention and devotion on the Savior born in Bethlehem.
-Annie Yorty, 25 Symbols of Christmas—Finding Jesus
Why I LOVE My Local Christian Bookstore
“Shopping in bookstores is like exploring a treasure of knowledge and wisdom wrapped in creativity. The plethora of titles and topics and new approaches to age-old themes never ceases to amaze me. One glimpse at the shelves encourages me to continue learning. So many resources easily available provide every opportunity to keep me from growing stale.”
-Grace Fox, Names of God
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