Of course today is a solemn day to contemplate and appreciate those men and women in uniform who died while serving the rest of us by defending this country. It is very important that we remember the lives of those people and what they did for us and our children.
But perhaps it can be even more. To me, because of what I did yesterday, it is.
Yesterday, I was a pallbearer in my Uncle Bill’s funeral. William Podradchik, my dad’s younger brother, died at age 69 after a yearlong fight against numerous events that conspired to eventually kill him. My Uncle Bill was a very funny, intelligent guy who clearly (based on the number of atttendees) made a difference to many people. He was not a soldier but a teacher. By all accounts (and several awards), an excellent one. I heard from many people whom I’d had never met about how much he changed their lives. I listened to his sons not only talk about what a wonderful man he was but how their lives were immeasurably better because of him (one became a teacher because of him). They could not hold back the tears but neither could that hold back laughter and joy.
And this is where I suggest that Memorial Day can be even more than it is. I humbly suggest that we all take a moment to think about those in our own lives who have made a difference to us. As we go through life, we begin to accumulate more and more lost loved ones. But if we consider their lives and what they taught us, and strive to continue learning from their positives and negatives, we are ultimately honoring them for the rest of our lives.
– Steve
Thanks Steve,
John
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My pleasure and heartfelt thanks if you served.
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I lost high school and college classmates in Vietnam and brought wounded home from Vietnam. I lost an uncle in the Pacific during WW2. I will never forget that. All gave some (me) some gave all.
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Thank you for your service, Robert. I am a bit too young to remember Vietnam (except occasional random memories of TV news). Those all must be things that will stay with you forever and, I’m sure, shaped who you are today.
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Steve:
So we’ll stated and so very meaningful.
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Thank you, Armand. The irony of a death the day before Memorial Day just could not be ignored.
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Steve,
Sorry for the loss of your uncle. It sounds like he lived a long and worthwhile life. That was a very nice tribute to him.
I’m glad you have given him the respect he deserved. We should all do the same year-round, but especially on this day, for all the fallen, in or out of battle, who have helped preserve our country.
RIP, Uncle Bill.
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Thank you, Ron. He was a great guy but I am sad that he didn’t live longer. He was in pain for much of the last year so it was inevitable but still sad. And yes, the whole point was to suggest honoring those you meant a lot to each of us as we can still learn from them.
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Good show Steve!! That’s much better than the last political lesson.
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Thanks Neil 😉
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Great post Steve. Sorry for your loss; Linda and I extend our sympathies and condolences. Memorial Day is ,special for our family too.
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Thank you, Art. That is very kind of you and Linda. My best wishes to you and your family as well.
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Good thoughts from an unfurtunate loss. Your note brought to mind important people in my own life. Thank you for sharing.
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Thank you Steven. That is precisely what I hoped for so I’m glad it resonated with you.
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Steve , Why won’t my Airport terminal weather update !
It is stuck on yesterday at 6:30 pm ! Randy
Sent from my iPhone
>
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Yesterday and over the holiday weekend, I consciously undertook to do nothing except watch movies memorializing many battles and wars and a lot of factual documentaries on the wars that our country has been involved in to protect ours, and often the rest of the world’s peace, freedom, liberty. So many American military personnel have died terrible deaths from unimaginably hellish battles, torturous imprisonment, execution, etc in far away lands all over the world and even our own land, with no one near them, many men cried out for their mothers, their wives, their families, the people they went to protect, with their last breathes. Dont ever let anyone tarnish or minimize the meaning and the reason we celebrate Memorial Day. Pay homage to these heroes who died for us, to preserve our country, our freedom, our liberty. DON’T EVER FORGET THEIR SACRIFICE. DON’T EVER LEAVE THEM BEHIND. THINK ABOUT AND UNDERSTAND WHAT THEY DID FOR YOU.
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Agree very much. That was an excellent way to honor Memorial Day and these brave men and women — much more introspective than burgers and beer on the BBQ.
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blockquote, div.yahoo_quoted { margin-left: 0 !important; border-left:1px #715FFA solid !important; padding-left:1ex !important; background-color:white !important; } Thanks for your thoughtful words Steve. Let us remember all on Memorial Day Best wishes, Larry J. Gallagher4th Infantry DivisionVietnam, 1967-68
Sent from Yahoo Mail for iPad
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Quite agree, Larry. Thank you very much for your service.
Steve
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