Friends, your grateful Peasant has an idea that I'd like to share
with you. As we are just four days away from Memorial Day,
the day established for remembrance of and gratitude for our
fallen military members who, by their shockingly difficult
work and sacrifice, especially that of their very lives, there is
an activity we can engage in which will help us to, in a manner
of speaking, get to know the names and the stories of those
very heroes who gave all so that we can have much.
This is an idea which I came across when looking up such brave
people, and I am simply expanding on it; The Peasant thanks
and praises Jane Horton, the Defense Department's senior
advisor for Gold Star and surviving family members matters
for sharing this idea this week on the DoD web page.
Horton urged that families get familiar with those who have
made the ultimate sacrifice by learning their names and stories,
"teaching their (children) about those losses, then go out and have
fun." She makes clear that families should not maintain a somber
mood throughout the day, and in fact to have some enjoyment
during same. All she wants to do is to promote awareness of these
magnificent Americans and what they did to establish and to keep
our nation free and strong.
Your faithful Peasant recommends doing the following: looking up
information on ancestors who have so served and sacrificed, as well
as to read books and articles on the wars that our country has fought
in, with an eye out for individual instances of heroism in battle,
in particular stories of those who truly gave everything. If you come
across any records of ancestors' military service, including their
deaths in battle, have them on hand to display or to be a part of your
family libraries to show to all family members, as well as to pass down
to future generations of family. This way they will always be
known and remembered by all family members, and will make
Memorial Day and its meaning something that the family can
appreciate as well as to identify with via connecting the stories
with their family histories and how they relate to our country's
history. And one needs not stop there; this all can be done at anytime
of the year, all through the year. If you have any drawings or
photographs of your family members in uniform, and/or military
equipment i.e. helmets, swords, guns, or perhaps medals and
newspaper articles giving accounts of their bravery and sacrifice
in battle, these, too can be wonderful historic family heirlooms.
We Americans have much to be proud of. This includes the stories
of our courageous ancestors and how our country benefitted from
their service, including dying so that we could live in freedom.
MEM
Very well written! Great idea!
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