Thanksgiving 2013

     Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday.  It is a day spent with family enjoying a nice meal.  I don’t go to stores on Black Friday, or the whole weekend for that matter.  It is a time to appreciate and be grateful for the good in our lives.  This year I have made a list of that which I am thankful.  It reflects what at times we seem to forget or take for granted.

I am thankful for the adults who watch over my children.  Teachers, bus drivers, dance instructors, cafeteria workers, aides, librarians, etc.  They are dedicated and work hard to help our kids grow, mature, learn, and have fun.

I am thankful that about all other qualities, my kids are kind to others.

I am grateful for the doctors who continue to follow-up on my healthcare.  It is always a huge relief to hear I am well.

I am happy that the Northeast had a wonderful Fall season.  It was nice to see the leaves change color without a freak snowstorm or hurricane ruining the annual display. Many days were warm as well.

I am thankful that I had an opportunity to see many friends I have not seen in years.  It is incredible how we can pick right up were we left off with lots of laughter.

I am thankful that despite its difficulties and hard times, we still live in the greatest country on earth.

Happy Thanksgiving.

Angela

The Visions of Leaders Lost

     It has been 50 years since the assassination of President John F. Kennedy.    The news this week was filled with stories recounting that fateful day in Dallas, Texas when the president was fired upon, and ultimately killed.  The nation fell into a period of deep mourning.  It is often stated many can remember exactly where they were, and what they were doing when they heard the news.   One common thread appears in the numerous television, newspaper, magazine, and internet stories.  The question of what might have been had JFK lived.

     Regardless of his political or personal issues, the one factor all seem to agree is that he had ambition and a vision to literally and figuratively send the country to the moon.  I was too young to remember the loss of this president, but I do remember assassinations of others who followed.   I remember being home and hearing my parents say “Oh my god.  They shot King.”   I remember sitting in my elementary classroom.  The teachers talking about Robert Kennedy as his funeral was being broadcasted on the television hanging above our heads.  Even though I was too young to fully understand the significance of these men, it was clear the nation had suffered a great loss with the passing of each one.

      I often wonder the direction our country might have taken had these leaders lived.   John with his ambition and expression that as a country we have no limits, Robert with the focus on social issues in need of immediate attention, and Martin with his nonviolent movement to insure that all Americans have the right to live a life of freedom.   A generation of young Americans lost their visionaries and yet still yearn to achieve the ideals they so eloquently preached, and so tirelessly worked toward accomplishing.  This is their legacy.   Hopefully we are still listening to the message and someday will reach the moon, the mountain top, and the peace of an America that is safe, strong, and equal for all.

Veterans Day 2013

                                                                                                                                              

     I have not let a day that honors our military go by without some kind of commentary.  I was thinking of what I could add that was not stated before.  Today, on the CBS Sunday Morning show, I saw this story about wounded warriors finding a sense of peace through music.

      Watch this story and you will feel the depth of their pain, struggle, and motivation to live.  On this Veterans Day, thank you is only the beginning of what we owe these brave men and women.  There is nothing I can add to the words of the veterans themselves, and maybe that is the way it should be.

http://youtu.be/b2QBOK1nFL4

Storming the Gates

      The ineptitude of Congress has forced a government shutdown. The welfare of the people has been overstepped in favor of political standings.  The worst part of this occurrence is the number of citizens who will suffer in terms of income and services.  Amidst the confusion and disbelief, a group of veterans from what is often called the nation’s greatest generation, showed us the will and strength of the American people.

     World War II veterans, in their ‘80s and ‘90s arrived at the gates of the WWII memorial only to find gates blocking the entrance. After travelling thousands of miles, and planning for months, the reality of the shutdown stared them in the face. They fought in a horrendous war. Many of their fellow soldiers did not return. Many came back injured or suffering from PTSD. They returned, went back to work, raised families, and lived their lives with a legacy of having served their country. They believed in the land of the free and the home of the brave. To them, there was no place better than the United States of America.

     So, this week, when they arrived to find the gates closed, they reached back to the strength and courage they had all those years ago and fought their way in. They visited the memorial that honored the sacrifice so many had given in order to preserve the freedom we treasure. They reminded us of the American they for which they fought so hard.  They lived a life dedication and love of country.

     The politicians did not need to be there. We didn’t need to hear the prepared statements they made in disguise of praise. We cheered when we saw those gates come down, and the veterans made their way to their memorial. In many ways it symbolized what we as a country need to do. We need to start working together to find solutions. We need to respect our fellow citizens and remember that no matter what we go though, we can come out stronger. We have stay focused, determined, and bust through the obstacles that hold us back. Just like the veterans from a war that changed the world continue to show us by storming through those gates.

Home of the Brave

     Thousands of small children claim when they grow up they want to be one of them.  In reality, far fewer answer the call.  Months of training and passing tests are required to be added to the city, town, and rural units that exist across the country.  Others will become part of the elite corps called up for the most serious and difficult situations.  They are committed in their service to society, and often are taken for granted until something happens which make us painfully aware just how much we need them.

     They understand the danger and risk they face on an ongoing basis.  Their loved ones know there is always the chance, no matter how well-prepared, something could go terribly wrong.  Every time they leave for work may be the last.  Yet, when the call comes, they do not hesitate to respond.   While others are told to evacuate for their safety, they march in to save lives and property.  If any fall, there are others right behind them to continue the job.  They don’t take time to grieve until the mission is accomplished.

   Who are they?  They are the firefighters of America.  Be it the local department, or the forces called up for national disasters, they encounter heat, flames, and smoke to put out a force of nature that is all consuming.  They are the NYPD on 9/11, the Hotshots in Arizona, and the countless departments that fight fires in the neighborhoods of every community.  It is devastating when one is lost, catastrophic when whole units are wiped out, all dying what they loved to do.  This past week, we celebrated the 4^th of July.  Thoughts of freedom and patriotism are revisited and renewed in our hearts.   But, there is another phrase we recite as a source of national pride.  One epitomized in the strength and character of the people committed to keeping our nation safe regardless of risk.   For the nineteen lost last week, and all the firefighters who have died before them, you are part of the fabric in the words ….”home of the brave.”   A nation is forever indebted.

Remembering Our America

     This weekend, the nation celebrates Memorial Day.  Picnics and parades will commence in numerous towns and cities across America.  This year the feeling is especially poignant given the number of human tragedies and natural disasters which have occurred.  It has been a never-ending series of events causing pain and disbelief.  We are a nation stuck in a mode of constant healing, and are wondering if there will ever be a period of calm and peace again.  Storms, bombings, shootings, bullying, and economic depression have left us praying for those suffering loss and heartache.  In the midst of all the chaos, comes a holiday when we honor those who have served our country.  A country whose values they held close to their heart in hope of preserving our democracy and freedom.

     My mother’s uncles served in both world wars.  Uncle Mike served in WWI. He was given special honors for his bravery.   Experiencing happenings so horrific, he actually tried to get himself shot in the leg near the end so that he could go home.  Uncle Tony served in WWII.  He joked that he only won the lottery once in his life.  Surprisingly when he went to claim, there were thousands of other winners.  Not a day went by when he didn’t have some story related to the war.  A good, kind man, the effects were deep and lasting.  Although parades were held in the large cities, soldiers returning to small towns and rural areas simply went home to the relief of their loved ones.  Somehow their lives went on, but the experience lived with them forever.

     On Monday, when people gather to celebrate in backyards, parks, and on Main Street, let’s remember our America.  It remains country of enduring hope, support, and thoughts of the future.  A country where people offer support to those in need and those capable of evil will never be tolerated.  Areas of destruction will be rebuilt, and those lost will never be forgotten.  The veterans, who served so proudly and sacrificed so much, deserve our praise for reminding us what it means to be an American, and for being the definition of love of country.   God bless America.