As all Americans prepare to celebrate Memorial Day on Monday, May 30th, I'd like to bring attention to it. Here in Bermuda, we celebrate Remembrance Day on November 11th - also a hallowed holiday meant to bring honor and remembrance to our Veterans and those who lost their lives in the fight for freedom.
Because my book, Yesterday's Tomorrow, takes place during The Vietnam War, I have a very special place in my heart when it comes to the brave men and women who so willingly put their lives on the line so that we may enjoy freedom, whatever country we live in.
I can't imagine what it must have been like to live through a war. I remember the stories my father and my grandmother would tell about their experiences in Belfast during WW2. My Dad was evacuated with his brothers out to the country. I know that one of my uncles on my mom's side of the family flew fighter planes. I wish I had more stories. More of a legacy to pass on to my own children who know so little of war and therefore have no respect for it.
Without getting into politics, I believe as long as we are on this earth, there will be war in some way shape or form. I don't like it, but that's the world we live in. Wouldn't it be nice to say, "What if they called a war and nobody came?" But that's not reality.
And so, as long as we live in the reality of seeing men and women leave their families and loved ones for far off lands to do a job not many are willing to do, we need to honor them. We need to give them the highest respect and admiration. We need to embrace their families in our communities and pray for the safety of their soldiers.
I would love to hear your stories - do you have a soldier in your family? Are you a Veteran or do you know one? Have you been affected by war in any way? If you can't say yes to those questions, write a short story that honors veterans. Fiction or poetry, whatever you like.
Send me your stories (do try to keep them short, we're not after the Pulitzer) and photographs too! I will publish them all on my blog and we'll vote for the winner. So if you want your story to win, you'll need to send people here to vote!!
The winner will receive an autographed copy of Yesterday's Tomorrow, and something special from Bermuda!
Can't wait to hear from you!
8 comments:
What a wonderful way to celebrate Veteran's Day. My dad was a Vietnam vet too and it changed his entire life. Your book sounds like one I need to read. If I don't win I'll definately be buying it!
My grandfather's brother served in the British Cavalry in India, and also served in Italy during WW2. He spent some time in a POW camp before escaping over the mountains through Switzerland and back to England. But I wish I could show you the pictures of this great uncle in India. The pics are unfortunately in Ireland. But there are photos of this uncle riding his cavalry charger over obstacles while he served in Northern India before India's independence.
He's a good example (militarily speaking) of my hero, Major Geoff Richards in my own book Shadowed in Silk.
Heather, I hope you'll share your dad's story, that would be awesome!
Christine, sounds like you've had some amazing stories passed along to you!
My grandfather fought in the war, but other than that I'm thankfully distanced from it. Being Canadian, we tend to send our troops mainly for peace keeping, though road side bombs seem to take our dear ones far too often.
I've just started reading your Yesterday's Tomorrow, Cathy! :)
Both of my grandfathers are WWII veterans. My paternal grandfather served in Europe, he went ashore about 3 days after D-Day. My maternal grandfather was in the Navy and served in the Pacific. He enlisted with 5 other young men from his neighborhood. Of the six young men, five went into the Navy, and one went into the Army. The one who went into the Army did not come home. :(
Eileen, yay! Let me know what you think when you're done!
Michelle, how sad. If you'd like to write about him for the contest that would be great! Do you have any pictures?
Catherine, there's actually a story from my paternal grandfather's experiences that I think I want to write about. I'm afraid I don't have any pictures. They are all at my parents house, which is 3.5 hours from where I live, and they don't have a computer.
Yes< I had two soldiers in my family, two brothere one in the Navy and one in the Marines. The one in the Marines fought in iwo Jima. He had a daughter two years old when he died. I haven't seen her since she was thirteen, which was 46 years ago. We do keep in touch by mail, email, facebook and ohone. I would love to see her face to face. She trains dog for Paws for the cause, and i am so proud of her.
I also has a best friend in the Vietnam war who came home alive and on the way to see his parents for the first time after the war, was killed in a car wreck.
Now I have a neighbor who is fighting in Afganistan. I am praying that he and all the soldiers come home safe.
I allso have a very special place in my heart when it comes to the brave men and women who so willingly put their lives on the line so that we may enjoy freedom, whatever country we live in.
God Bless the military!
Rebecca
rbooth43(at)yahoo(dot)com
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