Tag: gratitude
Memorial Day
This day we honor those who have died to protect us. It will be full of American standards: cook outs, family gatherings, and hopefully thoughts of gratitude. War is such a disturbing thing.
My father fought in WWII. He went in an 18 year old boy determined to do his part. He came home a man forever changed by what he experienced. He wouldn’t talk about it much, but he lost part of himself there. He witnessed men dying beside him, but still had to keep his post. He watched a massacre on a beach, then had to go up that beach himself. He walked through the streets of Paris to the sounds of boos. His body was a host to parasites, physical strain and absolute fatigue.
My father came home with his life, but a part of himself was left there. Today, I mourn those losses too. I pray for those, who made the ultimate sacrifice, for their families, for their legacy. I pray that we may never lose sight of what these young men and women are prepared to do, to keep us safe, and that they are safe themselves. I am grateful for these fallen heroes, who gave their lives that I might have mine.
I wish you all a Memorial Day of gratitude, appreciation and humility…that we may celebrate these heroes with the honor their ultimate sacrifice merits.
A Mother’s Love
There are many types of mothers, and we manifest love in different ways. Fathers too may exhibit some of these same things, but I am a mother, so this is from my perspective. (Thus the disclaimer)
I have a dear friend, who’s son was honored in a grand way. I called her the next day, so she could relive a few of those moments with me. I knew she would enjoy talking, about moments she experienced the previous day. I wanted to give her the opportunity to savor her joy. I too admire her son, and was elated at his new appointment, so she could share away, with me. A mother’s love is a powerful thing.
A mother’s love can be fierce. I have felt this, when my children have been picked on or treated unfairly. This feeling of a bear protecting her cubs. I wanted to bare my teeth, so to speak, to let the threat know that this little cub didn’t stand on their own.
Today, though my thoughts come from another place. A mother’s gratitude. When someone reaches out to help her child, a mother’s gratitude is a powerful love. That helper will forever be cherished. Forever be held in the heart of the mother.
This made me think…. we are made in our Father’s image. This Mother’s response comes from our Creator… created in His image, male and female. This is the feeling I need to remember, when I go to help my siblings in Christ… the powerful love begotten from gratitude. Is this how much it means to our Father, when we help one another?
Another thought… Jesus gave us to Mother Mary, while on the cross. “Woman behold your son”. Jesus gave us His mother, to be forever held in her heart. Through John, our representative , Jesus, vulnerable, dying, saving humanity, gave us to His mother. John was there for Jesus, as our sorrowful Mother looked on. A mother’s gratitude is a powerful thing.
“In truth I tell you, in so far as you did this to one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did it to me.”
Mt 25:40
In His image we love.
Veronicas Veil 