This day, nearly over, we pause.

Forums:
Email this Topic • Print this Page

http://www1.va.gov/opa/feature/celebrate/images/halfstaff.jpg

The sun is nearly down from where I sit so maybe it's time to pause:

Here's to the Fifty Eight Thousand Two Hundred and Forty Nine
young Americans who are not here today, but rest amongst the heros.

Here's to the Sixteen Hundred and Ninety Three
young Americans who are not here today, but rest amongst the heros.

Here's to the One Hundred and Forty Nine
from the First Gulf War
who are not here today, but rest amongst the heros.

And to the hundreds more who died somewhere in the service of their country.

Here's to my Uncle John and Uncle Jim
and the hundreds of thousands of young men and young women
who did not hesitate for a moment
before pledging their honor
and their lives
for the idea of a free nation
of free men and women
just like them.

Be at peace tonight, my darlings,
sleep well you unsung heros,
tonight as the sun goes down,
we pause
amongst the barbecue and chocolate cake,
the fireflies blinking in the fading light
and speak softly of your lives.

We cannot know what those lives would have been
Oh Anthony, oh Stephen, oh Eduardo, oh Annie-Katherine dear,
but know this
our lives are better for your being once alive.
Our Lives are Better for your Being Once Alive.

Please type the names of the persons you would like to remember tonight.

Joe( =a silent prayer=)Nation

John (Jackie) Curtain
Paul (the Poet)
James
Eddie
Jonathan Kantor
The brothers who were not brothers
The brothers who were brothers.
The brothers who wonder why not them.

Topic Stats
Top Replies
Link to this Topic

Type: Discussion • Score: 0 • Views: 610 • Replies: 17

No top replies

Beautiful, Joe. A lovely tribute.

My generation seems to have escaped so many killed in war, coming as we did as toddlers during Vietnam.

Lucky us.

My newspaper ran photos of all the Oregonians killed during this current wars and I couldn't believe their baby faces.

Since I don't know them personally, I'll say my short silent prayer to all those baby faced soldiers.

0 Replies

Here's to baby-faced warriors.

0 Replies

Roger T.
Eddy B.

0 Replies

My brother is a soldier and in the course of his duties he has had to knock on a few doors to tell people that their child is dead. A heart-stopping moment made even more heartbreaking by knowing that these people, these parents, are our own ages.

0 Replies

Thanks for stopping by Edgar.

Here's to Roger T.

Here's to Eddy B.

==
Boomer, I can't imagine what it must be like, to see the car pull up to the curb, to hope it's some kind of mistake, to hope they have it wrong, the wrong address, the wrong Eddy B, someone's else's Roger, to hope that it's not the worst news, to lose hope, to lose yourself in the sorrow and the lose.

This day is part of the healing, part of remembering the best parts of living and their lives.

You tell your brother I said there should be the sweetest graces upon him.

Joe(Lifting a glass to brothers)Nation

0 Replies

There was this kid, I call him Bill. Nobody knew anybody's first name, it wasn't worth the investment. He rotated in and like so many others, his parts rotated out. Everybody knew he was from Oklahoma, everybody knew everyone else's home state. It was kinda a replacement for knowing their name. The first few days we called him "Oklahoma Kid" and soon after I called him "OklaDamnHoma Kid" and by the next day we all just called him "damn kid" I don't really remember much about damn kid, seemed ok though even though he had never been in-country before he seemed to handle himself pretty well, had a sharp eye, musta been a farm kid. Had a good ear too, seemed he always heard incoming before the rest of us. Was about 10 days there and we was walking along and it was pretty hot and damn sure was muggy and he was a few feet ahead and to the right of me when he tripped that wire. Took his legs clean off right at the knees and he just sorta plopped down right there with this strange look on his face. We called in medivac and got him outta there pretty quick, I saw him for a few minutes back at base, told him everything would be ok and he's be home soon. He just looked at me and said "yeah right, home soon." Never saw Bill again, most likely never will, Sometimes I wonder was his name really was but it doesn't really matter much anymore, he was just Bill.

0 Replies

Please include my heartfelt gratitude to all those who fought for the freedom of this country. Add to that my grief at their loss and for the emptiness left in their parent's hearts.

My sympathies also go out to those who can't talk about the horror and absoluteness of death because it hit too close to home.

Joe, thank you for your thoughtful and beautifully written pause.

0 Replies

Yes Joe, as Boomer said, "a beautiful tribute."

Robert F.

0 Replies

Diane wrote:

My sympathies also go out to those who can't talk about the horror and absoluteness of death because it hit too close to home.

let's remember, that all those who made it home safely, did not always make it home sound

luckily, all the military people i know are both

0 Replies

<pause>

0 Replies

My heart goes out to the families of lost soldiers,
and to the soldiers out there fighting for their lives.

Thank you Joe. This is a very nice tribute to them.

<pause>

0 Replies

Well said, Joe ( and others)

Thinking of :
E.O.K
S.H.

0 Replies

Thanks for a much needed reminder for what this day is really about. An excellent tribute and I will give pause for each and every person that has served under our flag.

0 Replies

<pause>

0 Replies

Thanks Joe and Dys, you both brought tears to my eyes. That's a good thing.

Thanks to who served.

0 Replies

And let's not forget those who returned home in one piece, but permanently wounded in the soul.

Dan S.

0 Replies

Forums
» This day, nearly over, we pause.

Read Discussion
Reply to All

This day, nearly over, we pause.

Quick Links

My Account

able2know