Every Day Is Memorial Day

Well said. The poem is perfect for all to read and ponder.

I'm glad Kathy included this post in her weekly highlights, since I missed it when you wrote it. The poem is thought provoking, and I agree that every day is Memorial Day for those who have lost their lives while serving.  

Good morning Doug. No matter how you answer the question in the poem. those who have given their all deserve our respect. Enjoy your day. 

My 3 1/2 year tour in Saigon was from 1965-1969 (Kindergarten to 3rd grade). Then, I ended up graduating from High School in Iran during the overthrow of the Shah in December 1978. 

I appreciate all those who have served our great country!

Doug, I found my eyes filling with tears as I read your post because I know firsthand what the effects of war does to the mind and body. Some family members held POW or died from enemy fire, while others that returned were never the same. My stepdad  and uncle are two of them and my uncle's brother's legs were blown off from a roadside IED. Our military people are heroes, every one!

A very touching reminder of the price for Freedom. Many have fallen to allow us to maintain our freedom

There are so many people that contribute to our lives in such deep ways that we can never repay them fully

This post tugs at my heartstrings.  I have no idea the trials that veterans deal with.  I am grateful for them and try hard to remember their sacrifices for my freedom.  Thank you for sharing Doug Dawes 

Doug Dawes - So  many repercussions of war. There's the healthy soldier who went away to serve his country; then comes back in a body bag. Yes! I vividly remember watching the body bag count on T.V. Then there were the families who took an indirect hit and never fully recovered. I always found it troublesome to hear people say Happy Memorial day - it's just so wrong to say that... I was taught to honor and respect those that died and did that saying prayers for the souls that died. Rainy day Memorial Days are so appropriate. Those that served and died made the ultimate price and sadly, those who survived, as in the Viet Nam War era lived with those invisible wounds that never died until they died of something else, such as agent orange (before it had a name), PTS (before there was a label and a name). Exposure to toxic chemicals, the irrational behaviors and nightly flashbacks, I know this because as a spouse I lived it before it was known. The honor and hansom rewards for illegal immigrants is such a betrayal by this administration. It's just more spit on those that legally fought and paid the ultimate sacrifices. Thank you Doug for what  you represent to our fallen soldiers and for the poem and prayers too.