THANK YOU VETERANS
Novelist Honore de Balzac would consume 50 cups of coffee a day on an empty stomach to stimulate his writing.
I'm sure that's not the only thing those cups stimulated. Good grief. I can barely handle two. However, I agree that coffee, as both a physical and creative stimulant, works.
I didn't hit 50 cups today, but a half carafe was just the inspiration I needed to knock out piles of grading and lesson planning. But my purpose for blogging today is obvious: Veteran's Day.
We thank our veterans today. Facebook floods with pictures of grandfathers, dads, moms, aunts, uncles, brothers, sisters, cousins, and friends who served. As much as I want to cut the Facebook cord, I can't. How beautiful was it to scroll through pictures upon pictures, some sepia, some color, some black and and white, some of oceans, some of airplanes, some in Da Nang, some in Germany, some in the USA. And some in Afghanistan.
My nephew Corporal Conner T. Lowry made the ultimate sacrifice for us on March 1, 2012 in Kajaki, Afghanistan. My sister, his mom, who has dedicated herself full time to helping veterans at the Road Home program at Rush Memorial Hospital, celebrates our veterans today in Anthem, Arizona. There she thanks them. Blessed with close friends by her side, she reflects on her son's life. A life he sacrificed for freedom. Our freedom. We have struggled with many questions for almost eight years now. Why him? For what? What really happened?
Grief has no answers.
But on this day I remember Conner like I do every day. As I watch the prayers, gratitude, and reverence on Facebook and TV, I really am grateful. We feel it always from all our friends who stand by to comfort us. Continually. I have friends who never forget his birthday, his anniversary, Memorial Day, and today. I have friends who, every year, sponsor a hole for his golf outing, purchase raffle tickets, and donate prizes because they know important it is to me and my sister. Some people "get it." It's that simple.
I came across a quote that read, "The willingness of America's veterans to sacrifice for our country has earned them our lasting gratitude." Lasting gratitude. Today you might plant a flag at a loved one's grave or watch a war movie or attend mass or a memorial. Thank you to all who continue to remember. And most importantly, thank you to our veterans.
I'm sure that's not the only thing those cups stimulated. Good grief. I can barely handle two. However, I agree that coffee, as both a physical and creative stimulant, works.
I didn't hit 50 cups today, but a half carafe was just the inspiration I needed to knock out piles of grading and lesson planning. But my purpose for blogging today is obvious: Veteran's Day.
We thank our veterans today. Facebook floods with pictures of grandfathers, dads, moms, aunts, uncles, brothers, sisters, cousins, and friends who served. As much as I want to cut the Facebook cord, I can't. How beautiful was it to scroll through pictures upon pictures, some sepia, some color, some black and and white, some of oceans, some of airplanes, some in Da Nang, some in Germany, some in the USA. And some in Afghanistan.
My nephew Corporal Conner T. Lowry made the ultimate sacrifice for us on March 1, 2012 in Kajaki, Afghanistan. My sister, his mom, who has dedicated herself full time to helping veterans at the Road Home program at Rush Memorial Hospital, celebrates our veterans today in Anthem, Arizona. There she thanks them. Blessed with close friends by her side, she reflects on her son's life. A life he sacrificed for freedom. Our freedom. We have struggled with many questions for almost eight years now. Why him? For what? What really happened?
Grief has no answers.
But on this day I remember Conner like I do every day. As I watch the prayers, gratitude, and reverence on Facebook and TV, I really am grateful. We feel it always from all our friends who stand by to comfort us. Continually. I have friends who never forget his birthday, his anniversary, Memorial Day, and today. I have friends who, every year, sponsor a hole for his golf outing, purchase raffle tickets, and donate prizes because they know important it is to me and my sister. Some people "get it." It's that simple.
I came across a quote that read, "The willingness of America's veterans to sacrifice for our country has earned them our lasting gratitude." Lasting gratitude. Today you might plant a flag at a loved one's grave or watch a war movie or attend mass or a memorial. Thank you to all who continue to remember. And most importantly, thank you to our veterans.
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