This weekend we commemorate Memorial
Day. It's usually a time for getting together with family and
friends for a cookout or a day at the beach. However the day is much
more than that. It began as Decoration Day when communities
remembered those who died in the War Between the States, As time
went on and our country became involved in more actions against evil
leaders wishing to impose their will upon the world, the day became a
day of remembrance of all that were lost in keeping us free, and the
name was changed to Memorial Day.
This year as many of us have had
freedoms limited, may we remember what we had – and pledge to
ourselves and our families that they shall be restored, it would be
good for us to remember those who lost their lives standing against
the enemies of freedom. To this end, I am recognizing the things said
by some of the leaders who fought against the greatest evil of their
time – and conquered it, but at such a great price. They were the
leaders of the greatest generation – my father's generation.
Dwight D. Eisenhower
Dwight D. Eisenhower reminded us that
“There is no victory at bargain basement prices”. He was the
allied commander that pulled together armies from many nations that
stopped and destroyed the Nazi empire, threatening to enslave the
world. After that, he led our nation to a time of great peace and
prosperity.
However he had several warnings for us.
He said, “History does not long entrust the care of freedom to the
weak or the timid”. We can not let our enjoyable comfort blind us
to the need to be watchful and prepared. In fact he was concerned
that our desire for peace and safety take us away from the vibrant
nature we achieved under his watch. “We will bankrupt ourselves in
the vain search for absolute security”, reminds us that spending
money is no substitute for involvement in the world and doing the
right thing.
He also had some words that we can
apply today: “There is nothing wrong with America that faith, love
of freedom, intelligence, and energy of her citizens cannot cure.”
George S. Patton
One of the generals Eisenhower counted
on to get the job done was George S. Patton. He had this view of
bravery. “If we take the generally accepted definition of bravery
as a quality which knows no fear, I have never seen a brave man. All
men are frightened. The more intelligent they are, the more they are
frightened.” He understood it was normal to be afraid when facing
dangers, but said this. “Courage is fear holding on a minute
longer.
In words that we can use today: “There
is a time to take counsel of your fears, and there is a time to never
listen to any fear.”
Winston Churchill
Then there was the man who held the
British Empire together during its darkest days, Winston Churchill.
He had an appreciation for the sacrifices of those who held off Nazi
attacks during the Battle of Britain when he said, “Never in the
field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few.”
Churchill found that life is not as
complicated as some would make it in an effort to back away from
realities as he said, “All the great things are simple, and many
can be expressed in a single word: freedom, justice, honor, duty,
mercy, hope.” Words that have, unfortunately, found little use in
everyday conversations lately.
Then his words for today: “Courage is
rightly esteemed the first of human qualities... because it is the
quality which guarantees all others.”
Going Forward
The World War II generation was not the
last to sacrifice for freedom. There have been many others right
down until today who left home and loved ones to stand in the gap for
us against those who would do us harm. We need to take some time to
remember them as well.
While this day is meant to retain their
memory, let's not forget the veterans who came home and are in need of our support.
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