They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old: Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn. At the going down of the sun and in the morning We will remember them. Excerpt from the poem, "For the Fallen" , by Laurence Binyon.
In Flanders fields the poppies blow Between the crosses, row on row, That mark our place; and in the sky The larks, still bravely singing, fly Scarce heard amid the guns below. We are the Dead. Short days ago We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow, Loved and were loved, and now we lie In Flanders fields. Take up our quarrel with the foe: To you from failing hands we throw The torch; be yours to hold it high. If ye break faith with us who die We shall not sleep, though poppies grow In Flanders fields. "In Flanders field" - Ltc John McCrae
Thank you to all who have served selflessly...without you we wouldn’t be the great country we are today. Happy Memorial Day! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Nope, I'm with you Today is the day to honor those who gave their lives. Enjoy some freedom today and reflect on that Today is not the day to honor those that served, there's a different day for that. If you don't know the difference, perhaps some more reflection on your part is due
I've seen a Gold Star Mom absolutely go off on some poor bastard that made the mistake of wishing her a happy Memorial Day
That’s kinda where I’m at with it. It’s a solemn day, not a day of celebration. Doesn’t need to be morose, but it shouldn’t be clowns with squirt gun flowers and squeaky horns either.
Memorial Day is for the fallen. I also include those who survived the war(s) but have since passed...I may be mistaken but that is my thought. They all deserve to be remembered for their courage and sacrifice.
Why? The whole point is to celebrate the freedoms afforded by the people that gave their life for it. Right? Or nah?
Thankfully, that blank check that I wrote never got cashed. Thankfully, I was never even remotely in a position that said check would be endorsed by the American people during my military tenure. My time in the service was marked by meeting some of the best people I've ever known, and getting to play with some of the abso-freakin-lutely COOLEST toys on the planet. Memorial Day is for those who gave all, not for those of us who didn't. I don't even really like it when people thank me for my service. I totally enjoyed my time. Sometimes I feel like I should be thanking them for the opportunity.
Nah. It's to honor those that made the ultimate sacrifice to afford you those freedoms It's about them, not you
Look up the CBS Sunday Morning story on 'Taps Across America' story on that video sharing site. What Steve Hartman and Jari Villanueva are promoting is a brilliant idea. I'm about to practice with my Dad's old military / Boy Scout bugle. Memorial Day was my Dad's favorite, and a very solemn holiday in our house. I'm sad the ceremonies are all cancelled this year. I normally participate in an annual 10 mile 'Freedom March' organized by some veterans, that ends at a fantastic local Memorial Day service. As someone has already mentioned, not all of the deaths occur on the battlefield, or during the war. Many a veteran carried battle scars with them the rest of their lives. War is hell. I honor those who have made the ultimate sacrifice for my family's freedom.
Like I said, I may be wrong. sometimes it was just dumb luck who survived and who didn't. I chose to honor all those departed who faced real danger even those who managed to survive. They all gave us this freedom.
This was written by a aquatintace that still serves and has lost friends in combat. I think it's quite poignant and accurate. So maybe it's different strokes for different folks. I'm going to go and get some ice cream with my kiddos now and enjoy this beautiful day afforded by the people who can't do so now. This isn't a day about scolding people who may understand it differently, it's about remembering our brothers and sisters who will be forever remembered in their youth as we continue to age and appreciate every second we are afforded. If you can't smile at least once today, I hope you can find a way to eventually. Remember the good times we were so lucky to have with those who are no longer with us, those moments of laughter are invaluable now. Remember to find meaning in those life lessons we learned in the hardest ways possible. Remember to treat your fellow citizens with a little more compassion. Remember to live life to every last drop. That's what today is about, living life in their honor. Not just today, every day, they live on because we still speak their names-Timothy Weiner, Daniel Miller, Elizabeth Loncki, Kris Solesbee, and so very many more.
