|
Teen Scribes...
Thoughts
on
Memorial Day and Celebrating our Freedom
By Christy
L. Riley
We all
celebrate Memorial Day in many ways:
for
some it is reflection upon the past, others a time to remember and
commemorate
our veterans current and past from various branches of services: Air
Force,
Army, Coast Guard, Marines, Navy, and National Guard; and others view
it as a
time to catch up with friends and family for an outdoor cookout.
Regardless of
how you celebrate Memorial Day, here are some thoughts on how you can
remember
and celebrate our freedom this Memorial Day and 365 days a year.
As an
American, I remember those who have fallen in combat as heroes and
sheroes
because of the ultimate sacrifice they gave with their lives. Tomorrow,
today,
and yesterday I will thank, be grateful, and reflect upon the very
blessing we
have called “freedom”; something I take for granted so very often.
As Abraham
Lincoln once said in his famous Gettysburg Address:
“We have
come to dedicate a portion of that field, as a final resting place for
those
who here gave their lives that that nation might live. It is altogether
fitting
and proper that we should do this.
The brave
men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far
above our
poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long
remember
what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for
us the
living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they
who
fought here have thus far so nobly advanced.”
Joseph R.
Lenhart, Past State Commander of the Disabled Veterans,
in his keynote speech at this year’s
Memorial
Day Service said:
“We gather
here today, to remember those who are too often out of sight and out of
mind;
because of brave selfless acts that of those brave few. Many people
allow
Memorial Day to go by without pausing to think how they owe their very
existence to the service men/women.
We need to
remember those individuals … whose lives were lost in the heart of
combat. Many
of their memories shall be remembered and their sacrifices honored. All
the
POWs and MIAs must be in our thoughts this Memorial Day and every day
until
they are all return to us safe and sound.
Our freedom
is a highly valued commodity. May we never forget what a gift it is
that we
have men and women willing to protect our freedom.”
We
celebrate Memorial Day in many different ways and remember those whose
service
for our country made a permanent impact upon history and the present
2012 we
live in. May we always remember our past, least we then repeat it and
forget
those whose sacrifices, dedication, commitment, passion, patriotism,
and
courage helped to make America who she is today. Oh may freedom ring
from my
heart to yours.
“Where would we be if we didn’t have our
veterans who defended our country, …. It would be a different world,”
an 88
year old WWII Veteran said.
|
