Our recent visit to a battlefield of the Civil War, including a tour of the home that served as a field hospital for that bloody campaign. It is a little hard to ignore the bloodstains on the floor that soaked through the wood over a century ago. The surgeons' tools, that once operated feverishly through the night on hundreds of injured men, now lie sanitized in a glass case. Neatly planted rows of bodies go on and on and on in the acreage outside.
It is so easy to forget, but it is especially easy to forget the things that are not pleasant to remember. War is like that. We haste to forget the horror of it as soon as we can. Yet, there are those who live with the memories every single day. We call them Veterans.
Our Veterans are one of the most forgotten groups on earth. Some lie on beds of affliction for the rest of their lives after "coming home." They faithfully turn out in all kinds of weather to march in yearly parades that are sparsely attended by those they gladly defended. Now that is gratitude!
My paternal grandfather, my father, my father-in-law, two of my brothers, my ex-husband and father of my sons, my husband and father of my daughters, and two of his brothers served in the military. Fortunately, all made it home from their tours of duty. The most recent arrival was Tim's brother Kevin, who made it in from Iraq a night or two ago. We have been fortunate. Not all mothers get their sons home alive.
One of my favorite contemporary sayings is, "If you can read this, thank a teacher. If you read this in English, thank a soldier!" Few of this younger generation even know the extreme sacrifices from the earliest Patriots of our country to those who served in the World Wars, Korea, and Vietnam. We have failed to teach the lessons of history to our children. That is sad.
If it is possible, take your children to a Veteran's Day Parade tomorrow. Find a Veteran or several and thank them for what they have done and are continuing to do for us. The fact that we have not had another attack on American soil since 9-11 is mostly a credit to our military and the preemptive things they have done to thwart the terrorists. Regardless of your opinion on politics and the current controversies, the military men and women have quietly been there, following the orders they are given so that we can all pillow our heads without fear each night. They, over all, are deserving of our gratitude and support! Let us not forget them---ever!
And now, please go here, and give a "Pittance of Time" to our Vets:
Click here to watch "Nov11"
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