Here in the US it is Memorial Day, a holiday that has morphed into all sorts of different meanings such as the first day to wear white, swimming pools have opened, and summer has begun. but Memorial Day still retains moments of observance in honor of the men and women who have served our country in times of war and peace through the military.
My father is a WWII vet, and will be 90 later this year. He has had the opportunity to take The Honor Flight to Washington DC to be escorted to the memorials. If any of you have WWII vets still living, please encourage them to find a local Honor Flight trip. It is free, and will be a highlight for them. Everywhere the group went, my dad said stangers came up to him, shook his hand and thanked him for his service. He was truly moved by the experience. They were fully escorted - we didn't worry about him a bit because he was never left alone. They are even taking nursing home residents by gurney on these flights.
The Smithsonian Channel on cable today is airing a show about the honor flight (several times) if you get a chance to watch it.
They are also now taking Korean War vets and Vietnam vets who are at the end of their life, to DC. It is just one small way to repay these vets.
My father was also adopted as a pen pal for a local 8th grade student and on Friday their school had a program/ceremony for their vets. There were about 70 WWII vets in attendance, and Dad got a big kick out of all the attention and the effort the school put into this program. He and his student Cody had been writing to each other over the past school year and this was their first face-to-face meeting. Our daughter took her grandpa and said more than once she was teary eyed over the day.
This is my long-winded way of saying I hope all of you will take a moment today to honors our vets, both living and gone, for all they have done to keep us free.
Lulu