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I Forge Iron

Memorial day


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Today is memorial day here in the US, when we remember the men and women that have lost their lives wile serving in the armed forces during times of conflict. That is between the memorial days sales and stuffing our faces with hotdogs. 

To day I want to offer my thanks and condolances to the famalies and friends of those men and women that died. I also wish to explane why vetrans are touchy about Memorial Day. It is to honor their fallen comrads, not to honor those who servived, as many are living with the guilt of surviving wile their comrads didnt. Please try to understand when they remind you of that fact (usualy nun to gently) for those of you who have served, especialy those who have lost comrads, be patient and kind to the civilians, they afterall are the reason we served. For many of you those men and women live on in your nighmares, so take the praise with grace, and pass it on to them.

these words don't even come close to encompassing to loss and horror the fammalies, friends and comrads have felt, and continu to feel. Pray for them, hug them when you see them (if they let you) shake their hand if they can't. 

For my self, thank you seems hollow, and condolences don't even come close, but none the less i offer them, and my prayes for you, the survivors.

Edited by Charles R. Stevens
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"for those of you who have served, especialy those who have lost comrads, be patient and kind to the civilians, they afterall are the reason we served."

I usually stay away from the prayer sections as differing religions can easily offend each other.

Those words Charles are good ones and I feel needed acknowledgement. Today is for those who died, but they are gone, so today, in effect, becomes a day for those who survive them, because they survive. It is very easy to become caught up in the moment and forget, that there was a reason we served. To forget when frustrated, and angry, that............... Sorry I can't finish at the moment.

I'll just Reaffirm that your words are good ones and that we need to remember despite the pain.

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We who served will always be soldiers, sailers, marines and airmen. And in that we share a brotherhood that transends the contries we serve, we stand and if need be die to up hold one simple credo, "not on my watch!" We stand between our neigbors and harm, we stand with our brothers and sisters against the dark. All good and poetic words that don't even come close to the reality of the cost, the dead, the mamed, and the shaderd minds. The truth is we join for our friends and famalies, we fight and die for the man or woman lieing in the mud beside us.

brothers and sisters, stand up and live in honor of those who gave their lives so you could live to grieve for them. 

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Well said Charles. There is no way we as civilians can repay those who've given their all in the fight against the dark. What I can do is remember.

Not to be picky but memorial day is a day of remembrance for all who have passed. Since WWI it's become common practice to remember our armed forces sacrifices but it's for everyone who's passed. While there's nothing I can do to repay our military's sacrifices I can remember them. I do and the military people I know who gave it all I try to remember them in happy days, the jokes, joy and love. to only remember the sacrifice is to memorialize their deaths rather than their lives.

For the last couple days while Deb and I took her first sight seeing road trip to Valdez AK. Weather was glorious, sunny and clear all day Saturday, misty drizzly showers Sunday, we call it "Valdezing on you" but today Monday  the drive home was in sunshine with mountains, glaciers waterfalls and clear roads all the way home. In quiet moments all three days I'd remember Mother, her quick wit and pure genius for puns. Father's gentle way of teaching, the more trouble a person had, the gentler and more patient he got. My ornery, stubborn older brother and how hard he worked his whole life and how relieved I felt when he finally passed from ALS. I remembered my Grandmother Alice who lived with us till she passed at 96 in 1986. I remembered my Grandmother Frost and how surprised to discover she had a very acute perception and quick wit. A memory of Dad was his total inability to tell a joke but his mother was wicked funny.

I remembered a high school friend who was murdered by a serial killer and how long we searched the desert looking for him. He was found about 5 years later in a culvert something like 15 miles from where they found his Bronco's license plates. Bill was pure motor head and built one of the hottest Broncos I've ever seen, with the big tires on low pressure he could pull a wheely across the school lawn in front of the principal's office.

Bill's cousin Eric was a Jeep guy but  just as much a motorhead and while his jeep couldn't pull a wheely it was as hot as a Jeep could get without a bug catcher sticking out the hood. As far as I know Eric is still living but I include him because he and his cousin Bill had an intense rivalry Jeep vs. Ford and they went at it hammer and tongs but they always had each other's backs. Just remembering them fighting over their rides and sharing the last cookie in their lunches brings such good memories.

That's how I want to remember those who have passed. I want to remember the good times, the laughter, jokes and wisdom. I can only speak for myself but that's a fitting memorial from me, I choose to remember the good times, not the loss.

Frosty the Lucky you're not remembering me.

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We're on the same page there Charles. If folk are going to hold a service, make it loud, tell funny Frosty stories and have a good time. I love the New Orleans and Irish wakes a combination sounds perfect. Can you imagine jazz and bag pipes together?

No crying! If someone starts I think the masters at fingers should tickle them till they pee their pants!

Frosty The Lucky.

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