Thankfully, it was 20˚ cooler at this year's Memorial Day parade than last year's. Today it was a perfect 70˚F.The director of the parade told the kids lining up, "This parade is not about you, it's about our veterans." This little guy saw me and my camera across the street and gave me a photo op smile every time I lifted the camera to my eye.
I got choked up when these WWII veterans walked by.
But when these loved ones of a soldier who died in Iraq came, I really lost it. All their t-shirts have a photo of him as well.
When I saw this man's t-shirt, I thought, oh brother! He's a real party-er. But later, after we got home, it dawned on me that his shirt may have been about the US war in Iraq.
Here are Little Mr. Dansville and Little Miss Dansville.
10 comments:
Ohhhhhh. You went. And now I know some of what you did yesterday, Ruth. For some reason, I was thinking of you a lot!
What a sweet, small-town parade! I love the pics. I remember going to the one in Grand Ledge a couple times when I was older, but why don't I have memories as a kid??? Did we go?
Boots, we had a nice long day and mostly planted flowers and vegetables when we weren't at the parade.
Whenever I go to this parade I remember being IN the parade as a kid in GL, riding my bike. We'd put crepe paper in the spokes of the wheels. It was fun riding across the bridge!
Great tribute pictures. I always get emotional when hearing Taps or the military songs. I like to see the towns honoring their veterans.
PW, it's the very least we can do.
No matter what personal opinion may be about the current administration, honoring the sacrifices of our military and their families should cross over any political convictions.
One of the things I enjoy watching each year on pbs is the National Memorial Day Concert. The focus is always on the soldiers, the costs to themselves and family, and our appreciation. This year's focused more on Iraq and Afganistan than in recent years. It was quite moving.
I love the "hometown" pics!
Mrs. M, thank you.
The press has been all about how it's not just the current administration that's responsible for this mess in Iraq, it's the Dems too.
I completely agree with you. I rant about war throughout the year, I weep every time I watch a news story about the cost to soldiers and their families. I've been following Kimberly Dozier on CBS, the journalist who was blown up in Iraq and lived through horrifying surgeries and rehab. Now she's interviewing hospital staff and recovering soldiers from an "inside" perspective. It's heart wrenching.
People like me need Memorial Day parades, because it's there I see the real people who have survived (or photos of those who didn't). I do appreciate the cost they've paid.
But more than anything, I feel that war is an anachronism that must end. As James Taylor's song "Belfast to Boston" says, when will we lay our rifles down? I long for it like I long for nothing else.
When you need a great reminder, Mark Schultz wrote this great Memorial Day song.
Get a tissue, and click on the link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ul0mufXelPY
"Letters From Home" brought both Garland and Emma to tears with me this past Sunday as it played in church.
It is remarkable what has transpired in Belfast this past year. One of the poignant moments for Garland and me in Dublin last year was seeing the posters all over of those killed by the northern army.
what a perfect day for the parade. i don't think i'd be able to go without getting choked up myself. i'm afraid that i didn't spend any time on Memorial Day remembering those lost in war. but maybe it's becuz i have never lost anyone really close to me in a war. i guess that's really no excuse, is it?
Mrs. M., thank you for the link to "Letters from Home." It made me weep too. I don't know of any way I would be able to send Lesley or Peter into this war.
A woman in my poetry group's husband is a Marine figher pilot in Iraq. In fact he was "Top Gun" the year they got married (2003?). As you can imagine, all her poems are full of him. Since she's from Okemos, Don's class (in an Okemos school) is going to write him letters. Carrie said that is the one thing Derek longs for: letters from home.
Lesley, it's ok, you're remembering them now.
I love you.
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