Friday, May 27, 2016

REMEMBRANCE 2016



 


It's holiday weather here today, with the heat of the sun and bright skies and the snap of flags in the sunshine, and soon the the smoke of a thousand backyard grills will raise delicious scents into the Spring air. I awoke to a silhoutte-gleam of sunshine across the room, a hopeful sign for all the activities and memorial services and celebrations of this long Spring weekend.

But weather hasn't much to do with the feelings that surround this special day, this day of remembrance and honoring and taking stock of our nation's blessings. The placing of wreaths, the little flags stuck into the earth of countless graves, the floral tributes, the handful of limp posies clutch-wilted in a child's hand, the tears of remembrance---those will quietly and reverently go on even as the scent of charcoal drifts up and clouds draw down.

I have a deep-imprinted vignette in my memory-collection, of sitting there in a hot scratchy dress several years ago, to see my dear Mother-in-Law receive the folded flag "With the thanks of a Grateful Nation." And so we remember GrandDaddy, in all his twenty-something years of service, and I keep a secret, heartfelt gleam of pride for our other servicemen and women, and those we'll never know of as we sleep safely on their watch.

And just looking at the flowers in the picture above, the two tall, stalwart reds and the smaller, just-as-strong pink, I also think of all our sisters and daughters in uniform, the strong, brave women who step up to the mark, who serve standing proud beside the men whose strength and bravery have stood true for centuries. We feel a surge of gratitude, of pride, of thankful praise for all the ones who take our well-being and our freedom so seriously that they live and die for it, and us.

And so I say "Thank you," to each and every one, and give a prayer of thanks for all of our service-people, past and present---those standing proud in uniform today, those who have served, no matter what the term, those who have retired from their service, but remain ever soldiers, those lying beneath the brave small flags, and those lost to time and in faraway fields, known only to the angels and remembered in the hearts of those who loved them.

 TAPS for remembrance.

14 comments:

  1. It does seem the reason for the day has taken a backseat to the holiday. It always rains where I live during this weekend so we never make any plans. Hope your day is a good one.

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  2. Well done Rachel from a grateful reader.

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  3. Beautifully written, Rachel. My heartfelt thanks to those who have given their all, including my maternal grandfather who lost his life in WWII.

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  4. Your post is just beautiful. People think of parades and barbecues and forget the real reason for the holiday. I usually spend most of our local parade crying for those lost men and women.

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  5. What a heartfelt post. All my personal family 'soliders' are now in their graves and keeping watch on some distant shore. Working at the VA I have come to love and respect each and every veteran that walks through the door. God bless all of our service people and all of their families. xo Diana

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  6. Soldiers NOT soliders. One day I will learn to proof before I post! lol

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  7. So beautiful and heartfelt. You've given us all something to think about this long weekend.

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  8. It is amazing the power flowers have to suit every occasion. Enjoy this special weekend.
    Amalia
    xo

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  9. Hello Rachel, How have you been? We are in Kansas visiting Bill's sister and then on to Houston to visit our grandson, his sweet wife and our new great granddaughter. she will be five months. You know I have had a great time buying her some pretty new clothes. Each day here has been full of gatherings of our nieces and their darling children. A true blessing.

    Yes, we are honoring our service men and women past, present, fallen, serving and retired. We owe them so much we can 'never' repay what our armed forces have done for the USA and many other countries. Your post is a beautiful tribute to the unsung heroes of the many wars past and present.

    Happy memorial Day and happy week,
    Love, Jeanne

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  10. Beautiful Beautiful post !! Thank you from a military mom!

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  11. okay, girl, now you've got me bawling again. It has been a rough weekend for me, 5 1/2 years since I lost my sailor lad... we had 60 years together and the feelings just seem to overwhelm me this weekend, the loss I feel. Does it ever get better? I think not. But, tomorrow is another day and so I take one step at a time, one day at a time. Thankful for sweet friends like you who keep me sane and moving on. Love ya, latane.

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  12. I love this tribute...very nice.

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  13. Hi Rachel, We are heading home now and at our hotel. We had a wondrful visit with our grandson and his wife and the most precious baby girl. Thank you for your sweet comment about our darling Lily Mae. She is the happiest baby and not the least bit shy with us holding her the first time. We are in love and we are blessed beyond words. We will be home in two more days. can't wait to get there. We have been running the roads for over two weeks. There is no place like home. Smile.

    Wishing you a happy week my dear friend.
    Love,
    Jeanne

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  14. Just as a nurse is always a nurse, a REAL soldier is always in service. Beautiful post, my dear!

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