Prayers for Thomas, Prayers for all those who never came home. I share your sentiments Euro-American Scum. I will be attending a Memorial Service on Monday, it is a somber day. God Bless All
I’m a little earlier today than most days, and with good reason. First of all, let me thank you for the considerable efforts you and others put forth to make the Canteen what it is – a warm and friendly place for veterans and civilians alike to come and feel welcome. I’ve never failed to get that, whenever I stop by, which isn’t nearly often enough.
This isn’t a particularly enjoyable weekend for me. Yes, I do appreciate the breath of spring that’s finally on the land (at least in most places). The windows are open, the screen door is up, the top is down on the convertible, and the days are longer. A nice time of year, to be sure.
But I’m in a funk. Not a suicidal depression, I’m grateful to say. That roller coaster ride is over, thank God. But I’m certainly not in the kind of upbeat holiday mood that typifies most of these summer-like mini-vacations.
It’s Memorial Day weekend, after all. And that means something. It means something different than does its companion holiday in November – Veteran’s Day. And it wasn’t until just a few years ago that I finally got the difference. Veteran’s Day honors those who served. Memorial Day honors those who fell.
In the midst of all the travel, excursions, celebrations, whatever, we all need to take a moment to honor those who fell. I’m surprised how few of the people I know, those I know well, those I count as friends, are planning to do that. They’ve got too much planned, the kids are too busy, they just want to sleep in and relax, or they just don’t want to be somber or be reminded of. . . what this weekend is all about. Take one from Column A, two from Column B, you get an egg roll either way.
Now, I have nothing against people who are going to enjoy this weekend to the fullest. My sister is having a barbeque Monday afternoon, and I intend to put in an appearance and partake of the feast to the fullest extent my aching gall bladder will allow. But along the way I will stop and take a moment to remember those who fell.
And so I encourage all of you to do that. FReepers, lurkers, anyone who just surfed on in. Go to a service Monday morning. Get up an hour early. Go out in the sunshine, or the gloom, or the drizzle or the cold. Be reflective. Be respectful. Be somber. And yes, be sad. It won’t kill you to do it for an hour. We have this three-day holiday for a reason. And the reason is to honor those individuals who punched our ticket. We ride the crest of a wave in this country, whatever its problems. And we do so because selected individuals paid the due bill when it all counted. And we can stop, take an hour out of a busy holiday weekend, have a little respect, and honor their sacrifice. We owe them that. It’s the least all of us can do.
End of rant. Hope you have a nice weekend, Bunny.
In Memoriam: Thomas Anthony Eckl, 199th Light Inf. Bde., KIA 20 Feb. 1968. A good man, who should have come home.
Prayers for Thomas, Prayers for all those who never came home. I share your sentiments Euro-American Scum. I will be attending a Memorial Service on Monday, it is a somber day. God Bless All
LOL. There's a difference between a "rant" and a beautifully worded and wise "tribute". Your's is the latter. Regards!