HealingWell
Search Close Search
☰

Memorial Day....and tomb of Unknown soldier.

Support Forums
>
Multiple Sclerosis
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply
❬ ❬ Previous Thread |Next Thread ❭ ❭
Posted 5/25/2007 7:06 PM (GMT 0)
Friday p.m.

 

Very good afternoon, my Healing Well buddies:

 

Well, this weekend is Memorial Day weekend, traditionaly the start of the summer season.

 

Well, at least for me, summertime, outdoor, activities are not what they used to be, pre-MS.   Oh well.  As it is.

 

But...this weekend is Memorial Day weekend....a time for all Americans to tip our hats to our veterans.

 

And it always takes me back...to about 10 years ago...when I was in Washington D.C. for a family reunion.

 

My immediate family and I went to Arlington Cemetary.

 

I do not know how many of you have ever been to Arlington, but it is quite a humbling experience.

 

Acres upon acres upon acres of tombstones.

 

Then we went to the Tomb of the Unknown Soldiers.

 

My, oh my.  Talk about solemn.  Then as we were there

a sargeant, announced that the children of the blank school in blank Ohio were going to place a wreath at the tomb.  about five gradeschoolers paced this wreath, and then a soldier came ot and blew taps.

 

Man o' man....the whole group of 200 or so people there were this far from crying.

 

I HIGHLY suggest checking it out if anyone gets the chance.

 

Happy Memorial Day.  John

Posted 5/25/2007 8:03 PM (GMT 0)
Hey John

Thanks! What a vivid description we can all appreciate. Maybe this is a good chance for us all to pay tribute to our own veterans...living or not...who have gone beyond paying tribute to us in their service. For me, it was my uncle. My dear Uncle Tucker. He married and just three months later was drafted into the Army. He was sent to Africa, Italy and Germany before he returned home three years later to find his bride stumbling and falling. Dropping things unexplainably. Shortly thereafter she was dx'd with Multiple Sclerosis. Primary Progressive. She quickly went downhill and lost most of her movement and function...thereby becoming totally dependant on others. She spent the next 20 years or so mostly incapable of caring for herself...to the point she could not even feed herself. My dear Uncle Tucker was right there...caring for her and working to provide for them...having never lived a 'normal' married life with her...his sweetheart since age 15. He died recently, just before his 90th birthday, and to the last day he was able to speak of the war and his experiences there, he would fall to tears over the atrocities he saw and could not forget. I thank him and the many, many others for what they have given and are giving in my stead and for my sake.
Posted 5/25/2007 10:49 PM (GMT 0)
Friday p.m.

 

Hello Rhonda:

 

Not to drop names, but @ 12-13 years ago, I attended a Jimmie Heuga fall fundraiser in NYCity.

 

And in attendance...Tom Browkaw....just as his "Greatest Generations" books were being released.

 

And I said to him how I have always been in awe of that generation.

 

That after 10 years of a numbing depression, these men LINED up to join the military....,

 

Could my generation do that?  I doubt it...John

Posted 5/26/2007 2:24 AM (GMT 0)
Happy Memorial Day to all celebrating!  John I grew up in the Arlington area and I visited the cemetary on many occassions and each and every time it took my breath away.  Rhonda, your story was very moving, had me in tears.  I really love hearing about such love and devotion between spouses, thank you.

 

Kimber

Posted 5/26/2007 1:17 PM (GMT 0)
Saturday a.m.

 

...I promise..my last comment on this subject....

 

As I would look out over the multitudes X 100 of tombstones

at Arlington, I could only think...

 

Each loss of life affected a whole group of people...

 

A young wife...some children who never met their father...some parents who lost a son...or brother..

..lost best friends...

 

I have been accused of thinking too much, but...

 

WAR JUST STINKS!!!!  John

 

...but...it is Memorial Day...everyone can bust out those white shoes!!!

Posted 5/26/2007 8:47 PM (GMT 0)
I just want to say that I agree with everything said. The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier inspires many sad thoughts for me. I spent twenty years in the United States Air Force. During my last year on active duty I escorted a group of foreign officers to Washington D.C. for a week long visit. An Egyptian Colonel in the group was asked to participate in the laying of a wreath. As the highest ranking U.S. officer with the group I was asked to be the second participant. I have to say it was the highlight of my career and very sobering. AND John, you are so right, WAR STINKS. Just a note, the Vietnam veteran who was in the Tomb was identified due to DNA. So I don't think the Tomb will have another addition. Thank God.
Posted 5/27/2007 4:07 AM (GMT 0)

This is a great thread!!!  Thanks, John for starting this.  Thanks Rhonda, Kimber, and Lou for adding so much to it.  I really enjoyed this.  It is nice to think of other things besides MS and all that gets us down.  God bless Uncle Tucker and the lessons we can learn from him and all others who have given so much to this great country.

Love and prayers,

Posted 5/29/2007 6:48 PM (GMT 0)
Tuesday p.m.

 

..I kinda lied...one more Arlington post....

 

I was watching some television on Memorial Day, and there was an hour special on History Channel about Arlington.

 

They said there were @2000 other unknown soldiers graves, in one section of cemetary....

 

May these heros rest in the deepest of peace.

 

John.

✚ New Topic ✚ Reply