Posted on 05/23/2007 1:17:45 PM PDT by Kathy in Alaska
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 .
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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.
For anyone who cares, song that I wrote as a tribute to soldiers, Bommer put it to pictures
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tlBkEW7nyRw
I would have to disagree. Veterans who are no longer with us, like the over 1000 WW II Veterans that pass away every single day now. They deserve to be remembered on this special Day. And we all should say a prayer for the families touched by the current war and for those loosing family members from wars long ago.
Amen,and God Bless to all affected by this terrible war-especially the kids of the brave ones who gave their all for us.
Yes indeed, God Bless them all.
sw
And thank you, NavyCanDo, for your service to our country.
An acquaintence of mine has an interesting hobby. He believes every veteran should have a US flag at their gravestone or footmarker in local cemeteries. He buys the flags and walks the cemeteries, planting flags when he finds a veteran. He likes to find cemeteries out in the country, or often overlooked cemeteries that time has passed by.
The veterans groups are aging and can’t get out to place flags like they used. In our town, the local Scouts go out and place the flags prior to Memorial Day.
When you look over a cemetery and see the flags, you realize how many have served this country.
And you are reminded why their sacrifice and energy of youth expended for this wonderful country must never be forgotten.
And that memory serves to spur us on for the good America and its citizens.
Kathy, thanks for posting this for our good FRiend Redrock.
May you both have a blessed Memorial Day.
God bless your acquaintence for making a point of seeking out our veterans.
Freedom is NOT free. We must never forget.
Wed. night bump from a grateful American.
Thank you, Molly....redrock will be pleased.
Omg, but for the grace of God, I was not this little girl. My Daddy came home in the spring of 68, I think, I was eight or nine. I only remember jumping over a banquet table,in a field behind the hangar, to get to my Daddy. He was HOME!
Rest in peace Pop, we love you and miss you.
Thanks for this post, Kathy. Lest we forget all the children that didn’t have Daddys come home.
Thanks Kathy.
When you get to post Redrock’s material, you know you’ve hit the big time.
Who has the Kleenex concession?
Thanks for the ping!
Thanks to you, A-G!
They ARE nice sentiments, aren’t they?
I’m one little girl who’s happy HER Daddy came home. I’m thankful that God spared him and so many others. We DO honor our fallen on this day...
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