Reply #161: Thanks and Remembrance

[recovering democrat]

This family - Vietnam Army vet (spouse) and active duty Army in Iraq now (son). Thank you and all of you for your courage and your service to this country.

This quote was intended for Memorial Day. Every time I read it, though, I keep being reminded of all the "lost souls" who are still alive but not with us. The homeless, the mentally ill and all those whose service to this country left them seriously damaged deserve to also be honored on Veterans Day.

REMEMBER

If you are able,
Save a place for them
Inside of you. And
save one backward glance
When you are leaving for the places they can no longer go.
Be not ashamed to say that you loved them,
Though you may not have always.

Take what they have left,
And what they have taught you
With their dying
And keep it your own.

And in a time
When men decide and feel safe
To call war insane,

Take one moment to embrace
Those gentle heroes
You left behind.

Written by Major Michael Davis O'Donnell, helicopter pilot;
1 January 1970, Dak To, Vietnam; KIA on March 24, 1970


:toast: