* A MEMORIAL DAY RE-POST *

Every Memorial Day I take time to remember what this day is really about. Many years ago, it was known as Decoration Day. That's because it was the day families and friends laid wreaths and other patriotic decorations on the graves of loved ones....those who died in wars.

Some men come home from wars, but many others do not. I am alive today because of one man that did not come home....my mother's first husband. He was killed during WWII, and that was heartbreaking for her and her two young daughters. A few years later, though, she met and married my dad, and so when my brother Mike and I were born, we already had an instant family....one that consisted of two teenage sisters for us!
 
During our barbecues, picnics, and parties that celebrate the unofficial beginning of summer, let's remember that in spite of our country's problems, we are free, and we owe so much to all our veterans of wars....deceased or still living.



photo taken by Becky Sept 2011 at our friends' lake house

 

I don't write a political blog, but I will say this, if you've never been to Washington, DC and seen Arlington Cemetery and/or the Vietnam Wall, you've missed out on a couple of extremely powerful sights. You will surely have chills......

 ~~~
 

"I dream of giving birth to a child who will ask, 'Mother, what was war?' " ~ Eve Merriam


"Why do we kill people who are killing people to show that killing people is wrong?" -- Holly Near

* I WONDER *

It's another I Wonder Friday.

There's so much I'm wondering about today, that I have no particular theme. Just thoughts, questions, and information.

First: A HUGE Thank-You to ALL the Veterans of War from our country, and also to the military serving today. Just think how all of our lives have been affected one way or the other by these men and women. Some of us are alive today because our fathers or grandfathers came back from a war. And some of us, like myself, are alive because someone didn't make it back home. Seem impossible??

My mother's first husband did not make it home. For a few years, she was a war widow, and eventually married my dad. So, there began another branch on the Family Tree.

Second: My bloggy friend, Sue over at Sue's News, Views 'n Muse is having the most fabulous Blogaversary Give-Away that I've ever heard of! All you have to do is leave a comment and be her follower. That's it! AND...you could be one of the TWO winners of a HANDMADE QUILT! Is she crazy, or what?? And here I was, trying to decide what kind of give-away to have for MY blogaversary. No matter what I decide, nothing could ever live up to hers! So, hop on over there for Pete's sake and leave a comment and become a follower! She's a great gal and wonderful writer, too.

Third:   Here's a couple of reminders about a Writing Call Out and a Contest.

              The Mona Schreiber Prize for Humorous Fiction and Non-Fiction. Every year I tell myself I'm going to enter this contest and I never do. Why, I don't know. The entry fee is only $5.00. And from reading winners of previous years, the wackier the humor, the better! Give it a try! All entries must be post-marked by December 1st, and the winners will be announced on Christmas Eve! *Mona's son, Brad, has kept his mother's memory alive through this contest for quite a few years.

               Silver Boomer Books has a call out for a book about widows. When I first heard about it, I thought, Well, that leaves me out. I'm not a widow, and I never have been. BUT, when Becky Haigler; writer, editor and publisher (of Silver Boomer Books) spoke at our Saturday Writers Workshop last month, I had the opportunity to talk with her about various topics. I found out that the writer of the story doesn't necessarily have to be the widow in the story. Ahh...now, that's different! I'm going to submit a story about my mother's life when she suddenly became a young widow, along with thousands of others, during WWII. Submissions accepted from December 1, 2011 until March 30, 2012.

Wishing all of you a Happy, Blissful, Beautiful Friday.

 

“You may say I'm a dreamer, but I'm not the only one. I hope someday you'll join us. And the world will live as one.” -- John Lennon

* Memorial Day 2011 *

Quick post for today: I just wanted to say that every Memorial Day I honestly remember why we "celebrate." It used to be known as Decoration Day years ago. That's because it was the day families and friends laid wreaths and other patriotic decorations on loved ones graves....those who died in wars.

During our barbecues, picnics, and parties celebrating the beginning of summer, let's remember why it's possible that we're here today. And although I think it's necessary to remember and thank those who have died (and those hundreds/thousands who have been maimed in wars), I also believe in the quote below:


"Why do we kill people who are killing people to show that killing people is wrong?" -- Holly Near

* Veterans Day 2010 *

It's Veterans Day, 2010. How many of our WWII veterans are still alive? Not very many I'm sure. The same could be said about veterans of the Korean War. I know the WWII men & women were welcomed home with cheers by the citizens of our country. I really don't know if the same is true about our Korean vets.

I do know, however, that the Vietnam vets were treated miserably when they came home. I don't really know how the veterans of current and recent "wars" are thought of when they get back, but I'm pretty sure it's better than the ones from Vietnam.

I have friends and relatives who served our country in both war times and peaceful times. Yesterday, I wrote about being grateful for my life, and it didn't occur to me then, to add them to my list. Thank you all.

This isn't going to be a rant about how veterans of war are treated. I don't write a political blog, but I will say this...If you've never been to Washington, DC and seen Arlington Cemetery and/or the Vietnam Wall, you've missed out on a couple of powerful sights. You will surely have chills......

I just want to remind us all of the following:

"Why do we kill people who are killing people to show that killing people is wrong?" ~ Holly Near

"I dream of giving birth to a child who will ask, 'Mother, what was war?' " ~ Eve Merriam

"Nations have recently been led to borrow billions for war; no nation has ever borrowed largely for education. Probably, no nation is rich enough to pay for both war and civilization. We must make our choice; we cannot have both." ~ Abraham Flexner