MEMORIAL DAY--Thread Two--"My Daddy's Finally Home..."

5/21/2003 | redrock

[redrock]

Her little face was scrunched up...as only a six year old can be when attempting to be a 'big girl' and not cry.

Her normal reaction to the news that her daddy was finally home would be to run and jump into his arms and hug his neck with all the power her little arms could muster.

She would smell the familiar 'Daddy Smell'....and bury her little tiny face into her daddy's neck...happy to be just holding her daddy once again.

But this time...it was different.

This time there would be no hugs...

This time there would be no joy at the sight of her daddy...

..this time her daddy was arriving home, carried by other men, in a coffin....in a box .

------------------

In a few short days it will be Memorial Day.

A day set aside, with hope, for us to remember, and maybe say a small "Thank You", to those who have given their time and,for some,their lives in defense of our Nation and our Freedom's.

And yet...maybe this Memorial Day we need to add one more thing to the list.

Especially THIS Memorial Day.

We need to remember all those who lost their fathers.....

We need to remember all those who lost their sons.....

We need to remember all those who lost their husbands......

We need to remember all those who lost their brothers.....

In reality there is nothing we can really do...to make up for the lost hugs....for the lost talks with 'Big Brother'.....for the lost times with our sons.....for the lost futures.

But we can, and indeed we should, express our gratitude....our thanks.

Maybe...this Memorial Day...we can begin a new tradition.

Maybe we can, I know we should, begin to Thank those 'Left Behind'.

Maybe we can also make it a day to remember the sacrifices that they have made.

[VOA]

The caskets or the Wall?

The picture of the caskets.
Once Iraq is finally set on the course of being a sovereign nation and
Osama is only a two-paragraph mention in the history books...
I could envision a memorial, open at both ends, but basically a sculpted
replica of the photo. Reviewers could walk past on both sides of the caskets.

I know that sounds morbid, but I think it would be an honoring memorial
for the volunteer soldier who did the heavy lifting and paying the highest price.

[DLfromthedesert]

Great post. Yes, these people gave up loved ones; what more can we ask of them?

They can at least expect gratitude and compassion from us; they paid a heavy price for our freedom.

[cmotormac44]

I know the feeling--for 60 years I have wondered why I lived and so many died at Normandy 6/6/44--just try to be the best you can and remember the heroes beneath the crosses and star of david in all the cemetaries of the world-

[AuntB]

"But...we can bear it."



......Oh, okay, since ya put it that way.........

Have a blessed Memorial Day, redrock. I'm gonna find a cemetary and take some flags and say thank you.

[jellybean]

~ The Family of a Soldier ~

They won't erase the message
Of the last time they called home
They play it back once a day
A voice that sounds alone…

To them it's truly sacred
A link to have them there,
And every time they play it back
They offer up a prayer.

And there's the picture on the fridge-
With a Bible verse or two
And always tugging at their hearts
Are those eyes of baby blue.

They watch the daily news
And sometimes shed a tear
For every soldier that gave their life
To them is held so dear...

Just a few small rituals
Done each and every day
By the families of our soldiers
While they are far away…

(But I've never known one yet…
that didn't stop to pray!)

God Bless Our Troops
And the families of those that serve!

Sharon Frye

[JDoutrider]

Thanks redrock...Memorial Day is a hard day for me...

[kjfine]

I couldn't have said it better myself! Thank you!

[kjfine]

Yeah, she did a fine job. She had the hardest job.

[redrock]

Thanks.

redrock

[redrock]

I know what ya mean.

Thats how these threads started years ago....I couldn't sleep...and had to do something to Honour our friends on that Black Granite Wall.

redrock

[redrock]

Memorial Day....

redrock

[lainde]

BTTT

[redrock]

MEMORIAL DAY BUMP!!

redrock

[Molly Pitcher]

Memorial Day Bump!

[redrock]

MEMORIAL DAY......

redrock

[redrock]

Beautiful!!!!

redrock

[jellybean]

Thank you! It's a poem I found while rummaging around the other night. It seemed most fitting to this thread.

[redrock]

MEMORIAL DAY BUMP!!!!

redrock

[JOE43270]

God Bless them all. These people have done so much for all of us.