Memorial Day

Every year around Memorial Day the cable stations are filled with stories and movies about war and the men and women who fought them. Most of the movies show us the romance and glory and excitement that war brings. Growing up I loved watching them, I couldn't get enough. I especially loved the ones with John Wayne and the Marines. They always seemed to be able to do what it took to get the job done. Of course, John Wayne, was a movie star and never actually served in the military. His movies however, helped contribute quite a lot to the war efforts during his lifetime.
Memorial Day is a time we should be reflecting on those who gave their lives for our country. We have lost many many young men and young women for the ambitions and ideals of world government leaders. These young men and women were usually seventeen to nineteen years old. In the beginning they were in love with the excitement and glory. When they saw the reality of war, the carnage and destruction, they became a changed person. They fought to stay alive and keep their brothers in arms alive. Sadly, this did not happen.
So many were gone prematurely, never to raise a family or become a contributing member to our society. How many of these people could have become president or senator or a doctor, the finder of the cure for cancer.
Endless possibilities for not only these people but for society as a whole. We have lost generations to the tragedy of war.
I still enjoy watching war movies, I don't find war glorious or exciting. I pray someday there will be no wars. This Memorial Day and all Memorial Days I will give thanks to those who gave all and I will pray for them and I will pray that they are the last to know the carnage of war.

Music Memories

As you walk into the building you notice the dancers doing their thing to the music of their youth. Except for a few, most are in step with the beat and all are concentrating hard to perform the next turn or sway of the dance. After a few songs the word spreads that it is time to go inside of the hall and take your seat.
As you settle in, everyone starts waving hello, they want you to see where they are sitting , as if to say my seat is better than yours. The lights start to go dim and all are swept up in the anticipation that the show is about to begin.
When the stage lights come on the band starts to play. You recognize the music of the famous DJ, that you grew up listening to. Out on the stage he comes, very dapper in his Flyers jacket, and immediately he transforms the crowd into teenagers. He calls out their names and starts telling stories about the music and groups you are about to hear. Everyone is smiling and feeling good. For the next three hours you are taken back to the streets where you grew up. You can visualize the old neighborhood, and the boyfriends and girlfriends that you knew such a long time ago. Every song brings back some kind of memory, whether it was happy or sad. You remember where you were and what you were doing when the song first came out over that transistor radio. He is so right when he tells you that the music will always live on. It is part of us all. Think of all the times you are driving around in your car or are working in the house, or just relaxing in the yard. There is always a song that comes on and takes you back to a more simpler and less stressful time of your life. Songs that fill us with memories of loves and lovers lost. We all have one song that reminds us of that one person who was a part of our life.
When the show was over and everyone starts to file out of the hall, you can still see the teenager in their eyes. For the rest of the night, they forget their troubles and remember how it used to be.

The Voice

For the first time in over 32 years, I am unemployed. The company I worked for has been sold and has gone out of business. I now find myself in a strange situation of not having someplace to go when I get up in the morning. Most people who know of my predictment tell me I should sign unemployment and relax and enjoy the summer. It sounds like a good idea. I keep thinking of all the fun things I can do, like golf or enjoy the pool, go to the shore. My head says I should do it, but deep down inside there is a voice that tells me what I have to do. I keep hearing my dad, telling me over and over, how a man is supposed to provide for his family. A man doesn't have the time to take long vacations, especially when there is no paycheck coming in. He taught me a strong work ethic, and it is something that he instilled in me and I have tried to live by my whole life.
I will sign up for unemployment, but I will also be out there hunting for a job.
Who knows maybe I will find something rewarding and will last a long long time.

An important person

There are so many important and famous people in the world that we all look up to. We spend quite a bit of our time trying to emulate them. We try to dress like them, purchase items they advertise, we sometimes go as far as getting surgery to look like they do. There is one person however, who is more important and should be even more famous and that is MOM.
Think of Mom, she carried us in her womb and nurtured us when we were born. She taught us how to talk and walk and how to eat. She set an example to
show us how to behave and how to get along with everyone we came in contact with. Yes there are Dads out there that also did these things, but the main teacher in our lives has been Mom.
Dad went to work, Mom made sure we got to school on time, looked presentable, and did the disciplining when it was called for. There were six words you never heard in my house growing up "Wait till your Father gets home." Lets face it Mom ran the show. Dads are important but Mom is the ultimate. She is the alpha and omega.
This Sunday we honor all Moms, but they should be honored everyday. Mom is without a doubt the most important person, we have ever come in contact with in our lives. So if you want to emulate a famous or important person, try your Mom, but I don't think I would look too good if I dressed like her...........