Remembering Veterans and Mothers

May 26 is Memorial Day, a day to reflect upon those brave souls who died fighting for our freedom. If not for their sacrifices I might very well be writing this note in German, providing I was permitted to write at all.

Proclaimed as a National Holiday in May of 1868, this day was set aside to honor those who have died in our nation’s service. However, over the years many people have come to regard Memorial Day more as a celebration of the beginning of summer than to remember and honor our war veterans. Let us not forget to take a moment to think about and thank these courageous individuals.

In an effort to put the memory back into Memorial Day, Congress established the National Moment of Remembrance in 2000. At 3 p.m., local time, on Memorial Day, Americans should pause in an act of national unity for one minute and consider the true meaning of this holiday.
Wear a poppy over your heart to show your appreciation, both on Memorial and Veteran’s Day. Be sure to seek out a veteran, shake their hand and thank them for their sacrifice.

As Abraham Lincoln said, “The mystic chords of memory, stretching from every battlefield and patriot grave to every living heart and hearthstone all over this broad land, will yet swell the chorus of the Union, when again touched, as surely they will be, by the better angels of our nature.”

The statistics are sobering. Each day over a thousand World War II Veterans pass away. We are rapidly losing these great men and women in uniform who helped save the free world.

This month Senior Times kicks off the first in a series of profiles of Veterans of World War II and the Korean War, beginning with local hero Duane Dewey, our nation’s first recipient of the Congressional Medal of Honor. During the Korean War Corporal Dewey used his body to shield his comrades from a hand grenade — and survived to tell the tale.

In the coming months, Senior Times will bring you the stories of these remarkable men and women, illustrating what they have done for our country and continue to do.

And let’s not forget another important date this month: May 11 is Mother’s Day. I am so very fortunate to have a wonderful mother who still comforts me when I’m down, listens to me rant and offers sage advice gleaned from the wisdom of her years. I owe her more than I could ever say.

So this month be sure to pay a visit to your mother and tell her what she means to you. And fathers let’s not forget to honor the mother of your children. Where would we be without them? It is safe to say that if not for my mom, again, I would not be here to pen this note.

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