some thoughts on Memorial Day
May. 25th, 2009 03:45 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
mickeymI seem to have hit some sort of insomnia thing, which is bugging the hell out of me because I'm supposed to be getting up for work in just over an hour...and I haven't been to sleep yet. *headdesk*
I think I'm going to call my supervisor in an hour or so, and take a vacation day. Then I'm going to set my alarm, take a muscle relaxer, "nap" for three or four hours and hope I've actually reset my inner clock. Because, see, here's the thing: I could probably go to work and be fine. I could be AT work and be fine (my job is not terribly mentally taxing). However, could I do the drive home and be fine? I dunno. And I really don't want to play chicken and test that, because dying in a fiery crash on I-65? Not how I planned my end to be.
I kind of like the "Writer's Block" question today: Define "love" in three words.
My answer (which should surprise exactly none of you): Sam and Dean.
It's Memorial Day now, and as I was telling![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
cormallen earlier, this is a day I associate completely with my Grandfather, and vice versa. I can't think of him without thinking about Memorial Day, nor do I think of Memorial Day without thinking of him. As far back as I can remember (and probably a lot further than that), on Memorial Day he would attend memorial services, dressed in his Legionaire's regalia (it was a uniform, similar to but not exactly the same as Class A's would be for a service member). The only year in memory that he missed was 2000; he died less than a month after Memorial Day, that year.
But every year he'd get up, get dressed, attend services. As he got older, and sicker (he suffered from Parkinson's Disease), my aunt or my mom (and sometimes both of them) would help him get dressed, and then take him to the service. There were a lot of years mom went to Florida in May, specifically so she could help my aunt get grandpa ready for that day. My grandpa served in WWII, as did so many, and he was very proud of his service. He was a member of, and for some time, one of the elected officials, of the American Legion. He belonged first to a Post up in Michigan, in Bronson, and then later down Vero Beach. He also bought and paid for a flag to fly at the Ft Custer National Cemetery, outside of Battle Creek (in Michigan). Doug and I took Matthew there once, when we were up at dad's for a visit -- I don't remember now if it was Memorial Day or Fourth of July, but they had all the flags up and flying proudly, lining the entire drive and entrance circle. It's a pretty awesome sight.
Anyway. To those of you who have lost loved ones in battle, or have a loved one who served, but has since passed, I thank you, and I thank them.
I think I'm going to call my supervisor in an hour or so, and take a vacation day. Then I'm going to set my alarm, take a muscle relaxer, "nap" for three or four hours and hope I've actually reset my inner clock. Because, see, here's the thing: I could probably go to work and be fine. I could be AT work and be fine (my job is not terribly mentally taxing). However, could I do the drive home and be fine? I dunno. And I really don't want to play chicken and test that, because dying in a fiery crash on I-65? Not how I planned my end to be.
I kind of like the "Writer's Block" question today: Define "love" in three words.
My answer (which should surprise exactly none of you): Sam and Dean.
It's Memorial Day now, and as I was telling
cormallen earlier, this is a day I associate completely with my Grandfather, and vice versa. I can't think of him without thinking about Memorial Day, nor do I think of Memorial Day without thinking of him. As far back as I can remember (and probably a lot further than that), on Memorial Day he would attend memorial services, dressed in his Legionaire's regalia (it was a uniform, similar to but not exactly the same as Class A's would be for a service member). The only year in memory that he missed was 2000; he died less than a month after Memorial Day, that year.But every year he'd get up, get dressed, attend services. As he got older, and sicker (he suffered from Parkinson's Disease), my aunt or my mom (and sometimes both of them) would help him get dressed, and then take him to the service. There were a lot of years mom went to Florida in May, specifically so she could help my aunt get grandpa ready for that day. My grandpa served in WWII, as did so many, and he was very proud of his service. He was a member of, and for some time, one of the elected officials, of the American Legion. He belonged first to a Post up in Michigan, in Bronson, and then later down Vero Beach. He also bought and paid for a flag to fly at the Ft Custer National Cemetery, outside of Battle Creek (in Michigan). Doug and I took Matthew there once, when we were up at dad's for a visit -- I don't remember now if it was Memorial Day or Fourth of July, but they had all the flags up and flying proudly, lining the entire drive and entrance circle. It's a pretty awesome sight.
Anyway. To those of you who have lost loved ones in battle, or have a loved one who served, but has since passed, I thank you, and I thank them.
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no subject
Date: 2009-05-25 08:32 am (UTC)*HUGS*
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Date: 2009-05-25 08:33 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-05-25 02:19 pm (UTC)Hugs,
Lynsey
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Date: 2009-05-25 04:24 pm (UTC)