WarHippy1%
Learning
This seemed like a good weekend to re-post something I wrote about my feelings concerning Memorial Day from childhood til now:
I think the American version of ANZAC Day would be called Memorial Day, and it takes place the last Monday of May, the start of summer vacation for the schools. If I may, and I hope I'm not out of line with this, because I mean to honor ALL Veterans by pasting this piece that I wrote about 7 years ago. Every country has a day set aside for honoring the remembrance of our Brothers-at-arms who gave it all so others would not have to. Please adjust the dates, places, and if you're down under, winter for summer, in order to localize it for your country. I wrote this to first convey the progression of PTSD, followed by the slow, hard-fought recovery from the effects of war on young, impressionable youths who fight them.
With all due Respect, here it is:
Here's a lttle something i wrote for my brothers, hope you enjoy!!
Memorial day: the changes thru life
Remember when Memorial Day marked the start of the summer adventure?
Then I went to Vietnam
Remember when Memorial Day meant you put down your c-rations for a moments silence for the guys who wouldn't be going home with us?
And then I came home
Remember when Memorial Day was a time to be so busy planning cookouts and road trips and staying drunk, that you didn't have time to think about what this Day really meant?
Then I lived life as a Namvet
Remember when Memorial Day was a time to be envious of our brothers who died, because they never had to endure the nightmares and cold sweats that became a normal part of living for us?
Finally, I found Therapy
Remember when Memorial Day was a time our tears started washing out the bitterness we carried for so many years?
I visited the National Vietnam Memorial in Washington D.C.
Remember when Memorial Day was a time to honor our fallen brothers and pray that someday we'd be ok again, too?
Something melted within me, my heart maybe
Remember when Memorial Day changed!!! And we no longer pitied ourselves. And we were finally, truly able to honor our deceased comrades, and feel sorrow for their families, who never got a chance to see them make the journey back to peace at heart.
Today, I’m happy to be alive, and I wouldn’t change any of this for anything, because it has molded me into someone my Mother would have been proud of.
Peace Brothers, WarHippy (MONGOLS mc)
1st Cavalry Division (AIRMOBILE)
VIETNAM ’69-’70-‘71
The First Team
It's in all of us, the ability to recover. As Anthony points out numerous times in this forum, you just have to want to bad enough to work at it.
Thank You, Anthony, for this forum, you are blessed by God for your efforts.
I think the American version of ANZAC Day would be called Memorial Day, and it takes place the last Monday of May, the start of summer vacation for the schools. If I may, and I hope I'm not out of line with this, because I mean to honor ALL Veterans by pasting this piece that I wrote about 7 years ago. Every country has a day set aside for honoring the remembrance of our Brothers-at-arms who gave it all so others would not have to. Please adjust the dates, places, and if you're down under, winter for summer, in order to localize it for your country. I wrote this to first convey the progression of PTSD, followed by the slow, hard-fought recovery from the effects of war on young, impressionable youths who fight them.
With all due Respect, here it is:
Here's a lttle something i wrote for my brothers, hope you enjoy!!
Memorial day: the changes thru life
Remember when Memorial Day marked the start of the summer adventure?
Then I went to Vietnam
Remember when Memorial Day meant you put down your c-rations for a moments silence for the guys who wouldn't be going home with us?
And then I came home
Remember when Memorial Day was a time to be so busy planning cookouts and road trips and staying drunk, that you didn't have time to think about what this Day really meant?
Then I lived life as a Namvet
Remember when Memorial Day was a time to be envious of our brothers who died, because they never had to endure the nightmares and cold sweats that became a normal part of living for us?
Finally, I found Therapy
Remember when Memorial Day was a time our tears started washing out the bitterness we carried for so many years?
I visited the National Vietnam Memorial in Washington D.C.
Remember when Memorial Day was a time to honor our fallen brothers and pray that someday we'd be ok again, too?
Something melted within me, my heart maybe
Remember when Memorial Day changed!!! And we no longer pitied ourselves. And we were finally, truly able to honor our deceased comrades, and feel sorrow for their families, who never got a chance to see them make the journey back to peace at heart.
Today, I’m happy to be alive, and I wouldn’t change any of this for anything, because it has molded me into someone my Mother would have been proud of.
Peace Brothers, WarHippy (MONGOLS mc)
1st Cavalry Division (AIRMOBILE)
VIETNAM ’69-’70-‘71
The First Team
It's in all of us, the ability to recover. As Anthony points out numerous times in this forum, you just have to want to bad enough to work at it.
Thank You, Anthony, for this forum, you are blessed by God for your efforts.