Monday, May 28, 2012

Memorial Day

The "Pen" here at geeeeZ is mighty grateful to the sword... 
The American flag does not fly because the wind moves past it... The American flag flies from the last breath of each military member who has died protecting it.

Americans don't fight because they hate what's in front of them... They fight because they love what's behind them..........from Ed's blog.  Thanks, Ed.
Thank you, military of the past and the present.............for so much.  And to the families....please read Bob's blog for what was a gut wrenching read for me and a piece that really 'brings it home.'


I post this 'poem' of mine every year at my blog, so I thought I might as well...again:

Memorial Day at Frank and Ellie's, 1998  Windermere, Florida
 
The lake bumped the sand causing the water to wrinkle
at the end of the long grass slope that started back up at the house

The slope was lime green and shadow leaves swayed across it in the breezy heat
The barbecue was smoky with hamburgers, and the table was piled with bowls of cole slaw, potato salad,
pickles, catsup and mustard

We sat under towering oak trees with black angled branches and a white blue sky that held the heat in like the lid on a pot of corn on the cob

Bessie the dog ran through the trees and into the lake while the four small boys splashed in the water
and Grandpa shouted advice about their plastic raft, him being an old Navy man

The furniture in the house was American Primitive, dark wood-spoked chairs on an intricate wood floor
and bright orange crate labels from the family business hung framed against pine slat walls

A small American flag waved out of the large spoon pitcher on the stove next to Grandma’s three layer chocolate cake, and the childrens' popsicles were red, white and blue and left their mouths patriotic with color

It was Memorial Day that warm Florida Monday. We didn't mention it, but it was there.

THIS YEAR, PLEASE DO MENTION IT...AND PLEASE REMIND YOUR CHILDREN WHAT MEMORIAL DAY IS ABOUT.........I thank you and your country thanks you!!!


Have a GREAT DAY, everybody.
 

z

22 comments:

Silverfiddle said...

Very nice message. Enjoy the holiday, but pause to remember

Ed Bonderenka said...

"Enjoy the holiday, but pause to remember".
It appears there is a movement to pause at 3pm.

Liberalmann said...

I served and I honor our vets, fallen and alive, conservative and liberal alike.

Unknown said...

Let us remember the many brave men and women who have given their lives
through the history of our country
to protect us from danger and harm.
We salute all those who served
in the military, to protect the freedoms that we so enjoy here in this great country. And let us keep those who wish to harm us in any way far from our boarders.

Always On Watch said...

There are lots of Memorial Day celebrations here in the D.C. area. But I doubt that the sacrifices made on behalf of the freedoms we enjoy today are given more than a passing thought.

Bob said...

"The barbecue was smoky with hamburgers, and the table was piled with bowls of cole slaw, potato salad, pickles, catsup and mustard"

That makes me hungry. Somehow, there needs to be some hotdogs, too.

Have an enjoyable holiday, Z. Good post.

elmers brother said...

I remember Austin Edward Koth, Navy EOD, KIA Iraq and Jeremiah Robinson, son of Amy and Burt, killed by an Iranian IED in Iraq. RIP Eddie and Jeremiah.

Anonymous said...

AOW is right. Sadly, far too few pause to remember.

Z said...

As I said in my post, I hope you all talk to any children you might encounter during this holiday few days....they really have to be told why we're having a day off and burgers!
Yahoo's homepage has nothing but how hurricane Beryl might ruin Memorial day plans...and how to barbecue the perfect hamburger...so sad!

Bob, thanks for letting me link to your blog...that piece really touched me. It brings the losses home so personally.

Gary, glad to have you here. And yes, let's keep all those who wish to harm us "in any way" far from our borders.

Ed, who's behind that moment of silence, do you know?
Has anybody else heard about it?

Z said...

Everybody, Gary's just opened his blog, so you might want to go by and welcome him to our corner of the blogosphere!

Z said...

by the way, folks, Yahoo's homepage doesn't even have a little flag or soldier icon or anything at the top like it does for other 'holidays'.
But they have a question to answer about this day. I copy/pasted here:

Time to honor fallen soldiers.

83%

The start of summer.

8%

A day off from work.

10%


I thought that was an excellent and surprising response. One can only wonder what kind of people look at it more as a day off work or the first day of SUmmer. Or not.

Ed Bonderenka said...

http://ngl.org/MomentofRemembrance/tabid/69/Default.aspx

Joe said...

As the child of a military career officer, I certainly pause to remember those who paid the supreme sacrifice for our freedom.

Whether or not you support(ed) a particular war, you must honor the principles that led so many to risk and give their lives so we can live ours in whatever mundane manner we wish.

Z said...

Ed, 'No Greater Love'...no wonder nobody in the mainstream media mentioned it!
thanks for the link. It's a wonderful idea to do that.

Joe, Amen to that. Thanks to you dad.

Kid said...

Z, All of us pens are very grateful for the swords.

I hope your weekend is very enjoyable.

Brooke said...

I hope that during all of the celebration, we all have at least an introspective Memorial Day.

Mustang said...

It's not about the war .. it's about the warrior. May God have mercy upon them all because they gave us all they had to give.

Semper Fi

Bunkerville said...

Thanks for a great post!

Lisa said...

Nice Post Z. My dad was a career Military man as well as was 2 uncles , an aunt, my brother for 4 years and my cousin(the son on that aunt and one of the uncles) who was killed in Viet Nam.
On behalf of all them thank you for this tribute.

Z said...

Lisa, I'm so sorry for your loss of your cousin.
This post is the least anybody could do...I'm glad you appreciated it. xx

MathewK said...

Well said Z, add my thanks too. We too owe your sons, past and present, a debt of gratitude that isn't forgotten.

Lisa said...

Tanks Z I almost forgot there was another casualty from my cousin which was his brother who was never the same after that.