Here in the United States, today is the day we set aside to honor those who died for our country -- from the Revolutionary War through the ones who've died this week. I hope those of you from outside our country will bear with me as I talk a bit about what this day means to me.I admit to being a little biased when it comes to honoring our vets. I come from a long line of those who served. My father lied about his age and enlisted in the army at 17 so he could fight in WWII. He was part of the Battle of the Bulge. He seldom spoke of his time served, though I inherited hundreds of pictures taken in Germany after he died which spoke volumes of the things he experienced.
My brother spent many years on the Air Force, my uncle served in the Korean War. And, most recently, my husband is a Gulf War vet. He, like my father, seldom speaks of what he saw and experienced there, but it certainly changed him in many ways.
I tried to honor our vets with my writing and included a soldier in my Korean War era short story, "Don't Fence Me In". I only hope I did them justice with my words. I'd like to share the book video with you, and hope it moves you:
Representing the red white and blue
The colors of our flag stand out proud and true.
The white stars on blue background with red and white stripes
Remind me of these veterans, who all risked their lives.
Just so the people of the U.S. could all live in peace and be free
These are the heroes that represent you and me.
They stood up strongly, untied as one,
And kept up the fighting until they were done.
And although some have fallen, and lost their lives in war,
We pray for each one of them.
And now that their souls live on forever more,
Above in God's hands.
They watch over our nation,
And give us strength to triumph over others with strong anticipation.
So every year, when this day comes by,
Think of all the veterans that while fighting, had to die.
And remember that they were people
With fire and passion embedded inside.
They die for this country,
So remember and honor them with pride
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Visit Marianne Arkins:
http://www.mariannearkins.com
http://www.reading-writing.blogspot.com
No Matter the Decade, Always Happy Ever After
