Showing posts with label veterans. Show all posts
Showing posts with label veterans. Show all posts

Remembering the Fallen, Honoring the Grieving

While Thanksgiving is about appreciation for what you got, Memorial Day is so much deeper. It's appreciation for those who died to give you what you got. ~Doug Koktavy

When I think of Memorial Day and what it means to me, I think of how blessed I am to live in this country, where freedom still rings, even though at times we may take some of our freedoms for granted. I think of the fallen soldiers who paid the ultimate price so that we might continue to live free. I also think of the families, friends, and loved ones of the fallen — the unsung heroes struggling to survive in the face of unspeakable loss. I cannot imagine the depth of their pain. I don’t know how to thank them for their sacrifice except to say that I am deeply grateful, and that I promise to remember them, holding each and every one of them in gentle thought and prayer.

Veterans Day 2025 ~ Honoring All Who Served

Some people live an entire lifetime and wonder if they have ever made a difference in the world. A Veteran doesn’t have that problem.  ~ Ronald Reagan

Our country has established two holidays ~ Veterans Day and Memorial Day ~ to honor the men and women who have worn the uniform of the United States. Unlike Memorial Day (the day we set aside to remember and honor military personnel who died in the service of our country), Veterans Day is intended to thank and honor all those who served honorably in the military, in wartime or peacetime, as well as those who died in battle or as a result of wounds sustained in battle. Veterans Day is intended to thank Veterans and their families for their service, to acknowledge that their contributions to our national security are appreciated, and to underscore the fact that all those who served ~ not only those who died ~ have sacrificed and done their duty.

Memorial Day: Honoring Fallen Service Members and Their Families

[Reviewed and updated May 22, 2026]

They fell, but o'er their glorious grave /
Floats free the banner of the cause they died to save.
~ Francis Marion Crawford

Nearly four million men and women have served in the U.S. military over the last fifteen years, and more than half of them are married with children.
 
Originally designated as a day “to cherish tenderly the memory of our heroic dead,” Memorial Day is held on the last Monday of May each year. The holiday offers us a great opportunity to recognize and honor the sacrifice of these dedicated service members and their families.

Veterans Day, 2021

The soldier above all others prays for peace, for it is the soldier who must suffer and bear the deepest wounds and scars of war.  ~ Douglas MacArthur 

The theme for this year's Veterans Day Poster is Honoring All Who Served. Artist Matt Tavares explains, 
In this poster, a Tomb Guard carries out his responsibilities with unwavering dedication, alone on the quiet plaza at dawn. There have been Tomb Guards of all races, genders, religion and creeds, so I wanted to keep the identity of this Tomb Guard ambiguous. By placing the Tomb Guard off to the side I hoped to remind the viewer to look past the sentinel and focus on the tomb itself and the unknown soldiers who died in service to our nation.

Caregiving & Understanding and Managing Grief, November 3 - November 9, 2019

Best selections from Grief Healing's Twitter stream this week:

The following excerpt is adapted from the book Modern Loss: Candid Conversation About Grief. Beginners Welcome by Rebecca Soffer and Gabrielle Birkner, in which Soffer writes about communing over grief in a social media era. Data: Loss (and Found) on the Internet" https://j.mp/2NTny8I « CBS News

Before she died, my mother asked me to find a support group – but there were none for twentysomethings like me. Could I start my own? On Millennial Grief, 
https://j.mp/2Nxcwas « The Guardian

Heart failure care is about more than just treating the heart. Drs Mandrola and Meier discuss the importance of treating the whole person with palliative care, and its distinction from hospice care. Palliative Care in Heart Failure: Manage the Person, Not the Prognosis, https://j.mp/2qG3j6l « Medscape

Understanding and Managing Grief, November 11 - November 17, 2018

Best selections from Grief Healing's Twitter stream this week: 

Updated today: Resources for Service Members and Their Families, http://bit.ly/2INmK5v « Grief Healing

10 Ways to Manage Tantrums After Loss, http://j.mp/2B1D7Gn « Modern Loss

ALERT! It's STILL HAPPENING! Curious Cats Get Killed in Clothes Dryers, http://bit.ly/2xRAUdR « Grief Healing

Veterans Day 2018

Honor to the soldier and sailor everywhere, who bravely bears his country’s cause. Honor, also, to the citizen who cares for his brother in the field and serves, as best he can, the same cause.
~ Abraham Lincoln

2018 marks the Centennial Commemoration of the end of World War I on November 11, 1918. The theme for the 2018 Veterans Day Poster is: “The War to End All Wars” and features a poppy and barbed wire.

Veterans Day was established by our country to honor the men and women who have worn the uniform of the United States. Unlike Memorial Day (the day we set aside to remember and honor military personnel who died in the service of our country), Veterans Day is intended to thank and honor all those who served honorably in the military, in wartime or peacetime, as well as those who died in battle or as a result of wounds sustained in battle. Veterans Day is our opportunity to thank Veterans and their families for their service, to acknowledge that their contributions to our national security are appreciated, and to underscore the fact that all those who served ~ not only those who died ~ have sacrificed and done their duty.

Caregiving and Hospice, May 27 - June 2, 2018

Best selections from Grief Healing's Twitter stream this week:

Care for the caregivers in your life, http://j.mp/2xo833J « OptionB

Resources for Service Members and Their Families, http://j.mp/2INmK5v « Grief Healing

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Veterans Day 2017

Honor to the soldier and sailor everywhere, who bravely bears his country’s cause. Honor, also, to the citizen who cares for his brother in the field and serves, as he best can, the same cause. ~ Abraham Lincoln

Americans across the country celebrate Veterans Day on November 11, a special day to salute the men and women who have bravely served our country in the military.

These fellow Americans ~ and their family members ~ have made profound sacrifices in defense of freedom and they deserve our heartfelt thanks, appreciation and support.

The liberty that we citizens enjoy comes at a price paid by these valiant men and women. May we all make sure we do our part to recognize and support them throughout their lives.

To all our nation’s veterans and their families, a sincere and heartfelt thank you.

Veterans Day, 2016

As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them. ~ John F. Kennedy

Veterans Day is a federal holiday celebrated every year in the United States on the 11th of November. Originally called "Armistice Day," it was intended to honor veterans of foreign wars, but its purpose over the years has evolved to include and honor anyone who has ever served honorably in the military. It affords us an opportunity to thank veterans and their families for their service, to acknowledge that their contributions to our national security are appreciated, and to underscore the fact that all those who served ~ not only those who died ~ have sacrificed and done their duty.

In addition to the Veterans Day National Ceremony held each year on November 11 at Arlington National Cemetery at 11 a.m., communities across America plan their own ways to observe the holiday ~ but you need not wait until that day to reach out to veterans and their families.

Caregiving and Hospice, November 22 - November 28, 2015

Best selections from Grief Healing's Twitter stream this week:

Outstanding: Mothering My Dying Friend, http://j.mp/1QIrEgY « The New York Times

Beyond the Bucket List, http://j.mp/1OrPbiF « The Unprepared Caregiver

A Peaceful Reconciliation, http://j.mp/1N75jD1 « Moments of Life

Veterans Day, 2015

We live in a time of conflict - external and internal - when we sometimes concentrate too much on what divides us. Today, fly the Stars and Stripes with pride and confidence that what unites is far stronger.  ~ Charlie Dent

Our country has established two holidays ~ Veterans Day and Memorial Day ~ to honor the men and women who have worn the uniform of the United States. Unlike Memorial Day (the day we set aside to remember and honor military personnel who died in the service of our country), Veterans Day is intended to thank and honor all those who served honorably in the military, in wartime or peacetime, as well as those who died in battle or as a result of wounds sustained in battle. Veterans Day is our opportunity to thank Veterans and their families for their service, to acknowledge that their contributions to our national security are appreciated, and to underscore the fact that all those who served ~ not only those who died ~ have sacrificed and done their duty.

Caregiving and Hospice, January 25 - January 31, 2015

Best selections from Grief Healing's Twitter stream this week:

Dying Shouldn't Be So Brutal, http://j.mp/1CYXIoV « The New York Times Opinionator

What I'll Do With My Parents' Facebook After They Die, http://j.mp/167bGYp « The Atlantic

Healing Power of Music: Alive Inside Official Trailer 1 (2014), http://j.mp/1DqImYo « YouTube

Caregiving and Hospice, November 9 - November 22, 2014

Best selections from Grief Healing's Twitter stream this week:

Hospice is an ally for patients with dementia and their caregivers, http://j.mp/1r6NV7C « NJ.com

A letter to Dr. Oz for his inbox, http://j.mp/1FbW02Z « Kevin, MD

Lessons from the Stage: A Lesson About Patient Communication Learned in an Improv Class, http://j.mp/1tn8wV3 « GeriPal

Veterans Day 2014

Our country has established two holidays ~ Veterans Day and Memorial Day ~ to honor the men and women who have worn the uniform of the United States. Unlike Memorial Day (the day we set aside to remember and honor military personnel who died in the service of our country), Veterans Day is intended to thank and honor all those who served honorably in the military, in wartime or peacetime, as well as those who died in battle or as a result of wounds sustained in battle. Veterans Day is our opportunity to thank Veterans and their families for their service, to acknowledge that their contributions to our national security are appreciated, and to underscore the fact that all those who served ~ not only those who died ~ have sacrificed and done their duty.

Caregiving and Hospice, July 27 - August 2, 2014

Best selections from Grief Healing's Twitter stream this week:

What is Palliative Care? - Palliative Medicine and Treatment, http://j.mp/1kcTdAk « Get Palliative Care

Honoring Veterans at End of Life: Understanding Goes a Long Way,  http://j.mp/1oey489 « Caring with Confidence

What your friends with cancer want you to know (but are afraid to say),  http://j.mp/1pKr2Fg « Roadkill Goldfish

Caregiving and Hospice, September 16 - September 22, 2012

Best selections from Grief Healing's Twitter stream this week:
  • 5 Benefits of Technology to Share with Seniors and Their Caregivers, http://j.mp/REinsx

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Caregiving and Hospice, August 19 - August 25, 2012

Best selections from Grief Healing's Twitter stream this week:

Memorial Day


[Reviewed and updated May 22, 2026]

where at least I know I'm free.
And I won't forget the men who died,
who gave that right to me.
 ~ Lee Greenwood

The first time I visited our nation's capital many years ago, I was struck by the extraordinary size and power (as well as the sheer number) of the beautiful and moving monuments to be found there. In a sense, the entire city serves as a monument to dead people, not only to help us remember past presidents and famous historical figures who have died, but also to honor those soldiers who have given their lives in service to our country.

The beautiful video below was produced in 2010 by a young man looking to honor his grandfather. In the introduction to the piece, he writes, "Honor Air is an effort to charter flights to the National Mall bringing war veterans to see the memorials. Even though he served during WWII, my Grandfather who is 94 chose not to go because he didn't want to take the seat of a veteran who saw combat. Part of the reason I produced this piece was to bring the monuments to him."

Caregiving and Hospice, May 20 - May 26, 2012

Best selections from Grief Healing's Twitter stream this week: