You might say they "gave" the ultimate sacrifice, but that wasn't what they expected to happen. They weren't martyrs. But they knew there was a chance and they went anyway...which is where the "gave" part comes in. In so many ways, in the machinations of war and the administration of it, you could also say their sacrifice was taken from them and in some ways was taken for granted, Today is the day we say out loud, it wasn't taken for granted and we are working that it not have been taken in vain.
Irving Berlin was an immigrant and he gave us “God bless America.” Katherine Lee Bates was a lesbian and she gave us “America the Beautiful.” And how many are there – new American, transgender, lesbian, gay, queer in many names, people of every faith and no faith, who have served this country?
And so, leaning into a saint of mine – Howard Thurman – let me say:
When parades of middle school bands are over, and cemetery flowers and new flags droop, when the grills cool off, and people return to work and school, the work of Memorial Day begins:
to find the lost among our veterans, and heal minds and bodies of everyone, to welcome the homeless from among all the nations, and release those waiting to be deported, to celebrate our diversity from the inside out, to bring peace, so there need be no more war,
to find music in the heart grateful to those who wrote it and willing to sing for everyone who needs to hear.
You might say they "gave" the ultimate sacrifice, but that wasn't what they expected to happen. They weren't martyrs. But they knew there was a chance and they went anyway...which is where the "gave" part comes in. In so many ways, in the machinations of war and the administration of it, you could also say their sacrifice was taken from them and in some ways was taken for granted, Today is the day we say out loud, it wasn't taken for granted and we are working that it not have been taken in vain.
ReplyDeleteThe work of Memorial Day
ReplyDeleteIrving Berlin was an immigrant
and he gave us “God bless America.”
Katherine Lee Bates was a lesbian
and she gave us “America the Beautiful.”
And how many are there –
new American, transgender,
lesbian, gay, queer in many names,
people of every faith and no faith,
who have served this country?
And so, leaning into a saint of mine –
Howard Thurman – let me say:
When parades of middle school bands are over,
and cemetery flowers and new flags droop,
when the grills cool off,
and people return to work and school,
the work of Memorial Day begins:
to find the lost among our veterans,
and heal minds and bodies of everyone,
to welcome the homeless
from among all the nations,
and release those waiting to be deported,
to celebrate our diversity
from the inside out,
to bring peace,
so there need be no more war,
to find music in the heart
grateful to those who wrote it
and willing to sing
for everyone who needs to hear.
~ Maren Tirabassi
Lovely, and so true.
Delete