Wednesday, May 24, 2017

Memory


Memorial Day is a holiday in the United States for remembering the people who died while serving in the country's armed forces. Who do you hold in your memory among this group?

My great uncle, Terry Fisher, was KIA in WWI. He is buried in Arlington National Cemetery. No living members of my family ever got to meet him but I imagine that my grandfather, who was his younger brother, carried his legacy in his heart. Thankfully, all others from our family and circle of friends returned from their time of military service. They did not all return without scars, especially mental marks.

During the time of the Vietnam conflict, I was very anti war. Honestly, this attitude has not changed much over time, seeing lives lost without achieving goals. Thankfully the draft has been banished during our lifetime.

Even though I identify more as a "dove" rather than a "hawk", I still believe in supporting those who choose to serve our country in this method and those who gave of themselves without having the choice. A Vietnam vet who is a member of my church is organizing an event to send care packages to service members. This is a possible way to honor the memory of those who lost their lives for our safety and peace. We contributed Keurig coffee cups. If you would like to contribute to this activity in our community, here is a link to the list of requested items:

http://www.firstmethodistgrapevine.org/10664/event/event_id/479807/Support-Our-Troops-with-Care-Packages

Thanks for your time to read and reflect on the meaning of this holiday. If you would like to contribute, contact me & I can pick up locally or you can bring to church office by June 4th.