I heard these words today. They resonate today, like they did on Veteran's Day, 1985.
"{W}hen a serviceman dies, it's a tear in the fabric, a break in the whole, and all we can do is remember.
It is, in a way, an odd thing to honor those who died in defense of our country, in defense of us, in wars far away. The imagination plays a trick. We see these soldiers in our mind as old and wise. We see them as something like the Founding Fathers, grave and gray haired. But most of them were boys when they died, and they gave up two lives -- the one they were living and the one they would have lived. When they died, they gave up their chance to be husbands and fathers and grandfathers. They gave up their chance to be revered old men. They gave up everything for our country, for us. And all we can do is remember.
And the living have a responsibility to remember the conditions that led to the wars in which our heroes died. Perhaps we can start by remembering this: that all of those who died for us and our country were, in one way or another, victims of a peace process that failed...
We're surrounded today by the dead of our wars. We owe them a debt we can never repay. All we can do is remember them and what they did and why they had to be brave for us...
In memory of those who gave the last full measure of devotion, may our efforts to achieve lasting peace gain strength...
God bless America." - Remembering those who paid for our freedom.
11 comments:
Thank you Karl.
That is a profound statement made here, Karl. Two lives lost, the one they were living and the one they would have lived. I hadn't thought of that before. So many young men and women not being able to have the opportunity so many of us take for granted, like getting married, raising a family, etc., yet they were willing to go to sacrifice their lives for our freedom. Grateful for each one of them.
betty
Thank you for sharing on this Decoration Day! Well said:)
Yes, most of the ones who actually died in the wars were very young men. The survivors who live to be older are the ones we often think of because they are the ones in the parades and giving speeches and being wheeled up to memorials. They all served and should be remembered. We should not forget any of them.
I loved this a lot.
Well said!
Yes, very well said. So many people have forgotten the real meaning of Memorial Day. Thank you for sharing your thoughts.
That is so true..... victims of a peace process that failed...
Really beautiful tribute. I think about this a lot. How so many gave so much and many gave their lives. I was happy to see you here. I have not been blogging as I was trying to make a second blog and it incorporated the original blog partly into it but won't let me into my first blog except as a visitor. I wish I knew some way to get back into my first blog. I am really sad. Google and blogger just don't like me much. SO please keep posting so I can stop by. I hope you are well. Thank you always for your great posts. HAve a great weekend. HUGS
Karl can you email me at dwongrae@gmail.com about photographer Albert Hester
I miss your posts here. I Know how life can get in our way. I liken my blog to therapy. It doesn't cost anything and all the best therapists are here anyway! HUGS to you my friend. I hope you are doing well.
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