PLEASE Take a moment to remember

Hello everyone I hope that your memorial day is going great like mine. But
I had to take a moment when my young nice came up to me and asked me why
memorial day is celebrated. I had to look down at her and give her that
proud smile that all parent or family gets when some one does something
special.
I told her it to celebrate heroes. She looked at me like what was I
talking about. I took her hand and said I want you listen very careful and
watch everyone. I asked the party to pay attention for a moment and told
them my niece wants to know what a hero is. I took her hand to every member
of the party starting with my firefighter buddies and introduced them to
my niece and told her why they are heroes. Each member of the shelter, the
rescue groups and our police officers friends were introduced to my niece.
I told her each individual story on why they are heroes and what makes a
hero. The most important hero I walked up to her with her in my arms to her
father and mother and said her is the greatest heroes of all time. She
looked at me funny and of course said I was being silly. I told her
everyday your parents make sacrifices to make sure you have everything you
need or want. They face this world with open arms making sure you will have
a place in it they are the greatest heroes alive.

So on that note take a moment to remember the true meaning of memorial
day it is to celebrate our heroes. They are all around us in many shape and
forms. We saw so many last year in the hurricanes. There are to many to
even start naming but each deserves the honor and title of hero.
Even if your culture, religion or family does not celebrate Memorial
day you still have your heroes and they deserved to be honored. Thank you
for your moment

"Matthew aka NMR" wrote in message
.. .
Hello everyone I hope that your memorial day is going great like mine.
But
I had to take a moment when my young nice came up to me and asked me why
memorial day is celebrated. I had to look down at her and give her that
proud smile that all parent or family gets when some one does something
special.
I told her it to celebrate heroes. She looked at me like what was I
talking about. I took her hand and said I want you listen very careful
and
watch everyone. I asked the party to pay attention for a moment and told
them my niece wants to know what a hero is. I took her hand to every
member
of the party starting with my firefighter buddies and introduced them to
my niece and told her why they are heroes. Each member of the shelter,
the
rescue groups and our police officers friends were introduced to my niece.
I told her each individual story on why they are heroes and what makes a
hero. The most important hero I walked up to her with her in my arms to
her
father and mother and said her is the greatest heroes of all time. She
looked at me funny and of course said I was being silly. I told her
everyday your parents make sacrifices to make sure you have everything you
need or want. They face this world with open arms making sure you will
have
a place in it they are the greatest heroes alive.

So on that note take a moment to remember the true meaning of memorial
day it is to celebrate our heroes. They are all around us in many shape
and
forms. We saw so many last year in the hurricanes. There are to many to
even start naming but each deserves the honor and title of hero.
Even if your culture, religion or family does not celebrate Memorial
day you still have your heroes and they deserved to be honored. Thank
you
for your moment

Thank you for this, Matthew.

On Thursday evening I gave a speech about courage. I mentioned some of the
examples of courage that make the news. Then I went on to say that there
are many types of courage that often go unnoticed. I mentioned a woman
named Marge. She grew up in Los Angeles, a city girl. At the age of 21,
she married a farmer's son. She then lived in a farming community in the
San Juaquin Valley, which is extremely hot in the summer and very cold in
the winter. She and her husband lived in a basement with no utilities, not
even running water. In fact, there wasn't even a house on top of the
basement. She had to learn to cook on a wood stove.

Later the family moved to East Los Angeles. During World War II, her
husband who wasn't eligible for military duty because of a previous injury
worked at the naval drydocks, where navy ships were brought for repair and
refurbishment. He worked nights. When there was an air raid drill, people
never knew whether it was a drill or the real thing. Marge was terrified
for her husband, since he was working at a prime target, but whenever the
drills came along, she entertained her children with stories she made up.
Her children never knew she was afraid, and actually looked forward to the
drills.

Many years later, her husband was diagnosed with cancer, and she nursed him
at home through the last year of his life. She was 74 when he died, and she
began to travel. At the age of 80, after living in California all her life,
she moved to Alaska, where she still lives.

She is now 94, and recently her health has deteriorated considerably. She
has always been fiercely independent, and fought the idea of needing help.
Her daughters knew she needed to enter a care facility, but dreaded her
anger if they pushed the decision on her. Suddenly, she made the decision
herself. Once she decided to move, she dictated letters to her friends
telling them of her move, and began planning to decorate her room. She
decided to be happy there, and she is. Marge is my mother. She is also my
hero.

Joy

Matthew aka NMR wrote:
Hello everyone I hope that your memorial day is going great like
mine. But I had to take a moment when my young nice came up to me
and asked me why memorial day is celebrated. I had to look down at
her and give her that proud smile that all parent or family gets when
some one does something special.
I told her it to celebrate heroes. She looked at me like what
was I talking about. I took her hand and said I want you listen very
careful and watch everyone. I asked the party to pay attention for a
moment and told them my niece wants to know what a hero is. I took
her hand to every member of the party starting with my firefighter
buddies and introduced them to my niece and told her why they are
heroes. Each member of the shelter, the rescue groups and our police
officers friends were introduced to my niece. I told her each
individual story on why they are heroes and what makes a hero. The
most important hero I walked up to her with her in my arms to her
father and mother and said her is the greatest heroes of all time.
She looked at me funny and of course said I was being silly. I told
her everyday your parents make sacrifices to make sure you have
everything you need or want. They face this world with open arms
making sure you will have a place in it they are the greatest heroes
alive.

So on that note take a moment to remember the true meaning of
memorial day it is to celebrate our heroes. They are all around us
in many shape and forms. We saw so many last year in the hurricanes.
There are to many to even start naming but each deserves the honor
and title of hero. Even if your culture, religion or family does
not celebrate Memorial
day you still have your heroes and they deserved to be honored.
Thank you for your moment

Congratualations and hear hear! to your family heros. My father is 82 years
old and is a triple threat - WWII, Koreah and VietNam. He's the closeset
thing to a hero I know. Funny thing is, he's scoffing the whole Memorial
Day thing. My friend Scott McKenzie ("Are you Going to San Franscisco?")
walks from the Viet Nam memorial down to Arlington National Cemetary and
back around this weekend. His good friend, John Phillips (from the band The
Mama's and the Papa's) father Frank Phillips is buried in Arlington, a
veteran of the Korean War.

I find it funny that we celebrate a day like this, but I suppose it's okay
to celebrate the heros

Jill

TEARS AND HUGS

Heroes come in many shapes, and actions it can be as simple as a child
saying no to drugs for his parents warned him of the troubles. Heroes are
something this world needs and can never do without.
We forget and take them for granted till we have that desperate moment
where our world is turned upside down. Than a helping hand puts a blanket
around our shoulders tell us it will be alright. A strangers offers a smile
and a kind word of hope enough to stop that unthinkable moment. A hand
reaches into the darkness to pull a loved one to safety risking everything
to save a stranger. People call them heroes and I call them angels and I
am proud be able to pass their storeis along

I read this many years ago. I keep if posted on my wall and everytime I
feel like I can't go on. I read it and know I can go on there is more work
to do.


The Creation of a Firefighter

When the Lord was creating Firefighters, he was into his sixth day of
overtime when an angel appeared and said, "You're doing a lot of fiddling
around on this one." And the Lord said," Have you read the specification on
this person?

Firefighters have to be able to go for hours fighting fires or tending to a
person that the usual every day person would never touch, while putting in
the back of their mind the circumstances.

They have to be able to move at a second's notice and not think twice of
what they are about to do, no matter what danger. They have to be in top
physical condition at all times, running on half-eaten meals, and they must
have six pair of hands.

"The angel shook her head slowly and said, "Six pairs of hands........no
way."

It's not the hands that are causing me problems," said the Lord, it's the
three pairs of eyes a Firefighter has to have." That's on the standard
model? "asked the angel. The Lord nodded. "One pair that sees through the
fire and where they and their fellow Firefighters should fight the fire
next. Another pair here in the side of the head to see their fellow
Firefighters and keep them safe. And another pair of eyes in the front so
that they can look for the victims caught in the fire that need their help."

"Lord said the angel, touching his sleeve, "Rest and work on this tomorrow,"
I can't said the Lord, I already have a model that can carry a 250 pound man
down a flight of stairs and to safety from a burning building, and can feed
a family of five on a civil service paycheck."

The angel circled the model of the Firefighter very slowly, "Can it think?"
you bet said the Lord. It can tell you the elements of a hundred fires, and
can recite procedures in their sleep that are needed to care for a person
until they reach the hospital. And all the while they have to keep their
wits about themselves. This Firefighter also has a phenomenal personal
control. They can deal with a scene full of pain and hurt, coaxing a child's
mother into letting go of the child, so they can care for the child in need.
And still they rarely get the recognition for a job well done from anybody,
other than from fellow Firefighters."

Finally, the angel bent over and ran her finger across the cheek of the
Firefighter. "There's a leak, she pronounced." Lord it's a tear, what's the
tear for? asked the angel.

"It's a tear from the bottled-up emotions for fallen comrades. A tear for
commitment to that funny piece of cloth called the American Flag. It's a
tear for all the pain and suffering they have encountered. And it's a tear
for their commitment to caring for and saving lives of their fellow man!"
"What a wonderful feature Lord, You're a genius said the angel.

The Lord looked somber and said

"I didn't put it there"


**Author Unknown**


"Joy" wrote in message
.com...
"Matthew aka NMR" wrote in message
.. .
Hello everyone I hope that your memorial day is going great like mine.
But
I had to take a moment when my young nice came up to me and asked me why
memorial day is celebrated. I had to look down at her and give her that
proud smile that all parent or family gets when some one does something
special.
I told her it to celebrate heroes. She looked at me like what was I
talking about. I took her hand and said I want you listen very careful
and
watch everyone. I asked the party to pay attention for a moment and told
them my niece wants to know what a hero is. I took her hand to every
member
of the party starting with my firefighter buddies and introduced them
to
my niece and told her why they are heroes. Each member of the shelter,
the
rescue groups and our police officers friends were introduced to my
niece.
I told her each individual story on why they are heroes and what makes a
hero. The most important hero I walked up to her with her in my arms to
her
father and mother and said her is the greatest heroes of all time. She
looked at me funny and of course said I was being silly. I told her
everyday your parents make sacrifices to make sure you have everything
you
need or want. They face this world with open arms making sure you will
have
a place in it they are the greatest heroes alive.

So on that note take a moment to remember the true meaning of
memorial
day it is to celebrate our heroes. They are all around us in many shape
and
forms. We saw so many last year in the hurricanes. There are to many to
even start naming but each deserves the honor and title of hero.
Even if your culture, religion or family does not celebrate Memorial
day you still have your heroes and they deserved to be honored. Thank
you
for your moment

Thank you for this, Matthew.

On Thursday evening I gave a speech about courage. I mentioned some of
the
examples of courage that make the news. Then I went on to say that there
are many types of courage that often go unnoticed. I mentioned a woman
named Marge. She grew up in Los Angeles, a city girl. At the age of 21,
she married a farmer's son. She then lived in a farming community in the
San Juaquin Valley, which is extremely hot in the summer and very cold in
the winter. She and her husband lived in a basement with no utilities,
not
even running water. In fact, there wasn't even a house on top of the
basement. She had to learn to cook on a wood stove.

Later the family moved to East Los Angeles. During World War II, her
husband who wasn't eligible for military duty because of a previous injury
worked at the naval drydocks, where navy ships were brought for repair and
refurbishment. He worked nights. When there was an air raid drill,
people
never knew whether it was a drill or the real thing. Marge was terrified
for her husband, since he was working at a prime target, but whenever the
drills came along, she entertained her children with stories she made up.
Her children never knew she was afraid, and actually looked forward to the
drills.

Many years later, her husband was diagnosed with cancer, and she nursed
him
at home through the last year of his life. She was 74 when he died, and
she
began to travel. At the age of 80, after living in California all her
life,
she moved to Alaska, where she still lives.

She is now 94, and recently her health has deteriorated considerably. She
has always been fiercely independent, and fought the idea of needing help.
Her daughters knew she needed to enter a care facility, but dreaded her
anger if they pushed the decision on her. Suddenly, she made the decision
herself. Once she decided to move, she dictated letters to her friends
telling them of her move, and began planning to decorate her room. She
decided to be happy there, and she is. Marge is my mother. She is also
my
hero.

Joy

Joy wrote:
decided to be happy there, and she is. Marge is my mother. She is also my
hero.

Wow! She sounds like an incredible woman, you are very lucky to be her
daughter.

--
Victor M. Martinez
Owned and operated by the Fantastic Seven (TM)
Send your spam he
Email me he

On Mon, 29 May 2006 19:35:52 +0000, Matthew aka NMR wrote:

Hello everyone I hope that your memorial day is going great like mine. But
I had to take a moment when my young nice came up to me and asked me why
memorial day is celebrated. I had to look down at her and give her that
proud smile that all parent or family gets when some one does something
special.
I told her it to celebrate heroes. She looked at me like what was I
talking about. I took her hand and said I want you listen very careful and
watch everyone. I asked the party to pay attention for a moment and told
them my niece wants to know what a hero is. I took her hand to every member
of the party starting with my firefighter buddies and introduced them to
my niece and told her why they are heroes. Each member of the shelter, the
rescue groups and our police officers friends were introduced to my niece.
I told her each individual story on why they are heroes and what makes a
hero. The most important hero I walked up to her with her in my arms to her
father and mother and said her is the greatest heroes of all time. She
looked at me funny and of course said I was being silly. I told her
everyday your parents make sacrifices to make sure you have everything you
need or want. They face this world with open arms making sure you will have
a place in it they are the greatest heroes alive.

So on that note take a moment to remember the true meaning of memorial
day it is to celebrate our heroes. They are all around us in many shape and
forms. We saw so many last year in the hurricanes. There are to many to
even start naming but each deserves the honor and title of hero.
Even if your culture, religion or family does not celebrate Memorial
day you still have your heroes and they deserved to be honored. Thank you
for your moment


You just gave us "a keeper". Thanks for reminding us about heroes. MLB

"jmcquown" wrote in message
...
Matthew aka NMR wrote:
Hello everyone I hope that your memorial day is going great like
mine. But I had to take a moment when my young nice came up to me
and asked me why memorial day is celebrated. I had to look down at
her and give her that proud smile that all parent or family gets when
some one does something special.
I told her it to celebrate heroes. She looked at me like what
was I talking about. I took her hand and said I want you listen very
careful and watch everyone. I asked the party to pay attention for a
moment and told them my niece wants to know what a hero is. I took
her hand to every member of the party starting with my firefighter
buddies and introduced them to my niece and told her why they are
heroes. Each member of the shelter, the rescue groups and our police
officers friends were introduced to my niece. I told her each
individual story on why they are heroes and what makes a hero. The
most important hero I walked up to her with her in my arms to her
father and mother and said her is the greatest heroes of all time.
She looked at me funny and of course said I was being silly. I told
her everyday your parents make sacrifices to make sure you have
everything you need or want. They face this world with open arms
making sure you will have a place in it they are the greatest heroes
alive.

So on that note take a moment to remember the true meaning of
memorial day it is to celebrate our heroes. They are all around us
in many shape and forms. We saw so many last year in the hurricanes.
There are to many to even start naming but each deserves the honor
and title of hero. Even if your culture, religion or family does
not celebrate Memorial
day you still have your heroes and they deserved to be honored.
Thank you for your moment

Congratualations and hear hear! to your family heros. My father is 82
years
old and is a triple threat - WWII, Koreah and VietNam. He's the closeset
thing to a hero I know. Funny thing is, he's scoffing the whole Memorial
Day thing. My friend Scott McKenzie ("Are you Going to San Franscisco?")
walks from the Viet Nam memorial down to Arlington National Cemetary and
back around this weekend. His good friend, John Phillips (from the band
The
Mama's and the Papa's) father Frank Phillips is buried in Arlington, a
veteran of the Korean War.

I find it funny that we celebrate a day like this, but I suppose it's okay
to celebrate the heros

Jill



I thought I had this stuff figured out. Then we went to see the WWII
memorial the weekend my brother was buried. The memorial was fine. DC is
full of memorials and I grew up around them.

It wasn't the memorials. It was the men and women. The ones who were
there. Dozens of them, walking slowly around and checking the memorial out.
And stopping to talk to each other. Other veterans they likely never met
before and will never meet again. But they stop and talk. To others who
really understand. In its own way it impressed my as much as the first time
I walked up to the Lincoln Memorial as a child.

Then after Charlie and Bill were talked out we walked a little further. To
the women's memorial. Again the memorial was nice as memorials go. But
what made my breath catch in my throat were the roses. There were bouquets
of roses all around its base. Dozens and dozens of dozens of red roses.

As was said before, its all about the heroes. And those that remember then
and honor them.

Jo

"Matthew aka NMR" wrote in message
.. .
Hello everyone I hope that your memorial day is going great like mine.
But I had to take a moment when my young nice came up to me and asked me
why memorial day is celebrated. I had to look down at her and give her
that proud smile that all parent or family gets when some one does
something special.
I told her it to celebrate heroes. She looked at me like what was I
talking about. I took her hand and said I want you listen very careful
and watch everyone. I asked the party to pay attention for a moment and
told them my niece wants to know what a hero is. I took her hand to every
member of the party starting with my firefighter buddies and introduced
them to my niece and told her why they are heroes. Each member of the
shelter, the rescue groups and our police officers friends were introduced
to my niece. I told her each individual story on why they are heroes and
what makes a hero. The most important hero I walked up to her with her in
my arms to her father and mother and said her is the greatest heroes of
all time. She looked at me funny and of course said I was being silly. I
told her everyday your parents make sacrifices to make sure you have
everything you need or want. They face this world with open arms making
sure you will have a place in it they are the greatest heroes alive.

So on that note take a moment to remember the true meaning of memorial
day it is to celebrate our heroes. They are all around us in many shape
and forms. We saw so many last year in the hurricanes. There are to many
to even start naming but each deserves the honor and title of hero.
Even if your culture, religion or family does not celebrate Memorial
day you still have your heroes and they deserved to be honored. Thank
you for your moment

Ah, We remember our heroes on ANZAC day, 25th April. But the meaning sure is
the same.

Lest we forget.

Yowie

"Joy" wrote in message
.com...
"Matthew aka NMR" wrote in message
.. .
Hello everyone I hope that your memorial day is going great like mine.
But
I had to take a moment when my young nice came up to me and asked me why
memorial day is celebrated. I had to look down at her and give her that
proud smile that all parent or family gets when some one does something
special.
I told her it to celebrate heroes. She looked at me like what was I
talking about. I took her hand and said I want you listen very careful
and
watch everyone. I asked the party to pay attention for a moment and told
them my niece wants to know what a hero is. I took her hand to every
member
of the party starting with my firefighter buddies and introduced them
to
my niece and told her why they are heroes. Each member of the shelter,
the
rescue groups and our police officers friends were introduced to my
niece.
I told her each individual story on why they are heroes and what makes a
hero. The most important hero I walked up to her with her in my arms to
her
father and mother and said her is the greatest heroes of all time. She
looked at me funny and of course said I was being silly. I told her
everyday your parents make sacrifices to make sure you have everything
you
need or want. They face this world with open arms making sure you will
have
a place in it they are the greatest heroes alive.

So on that note take a moment to remember the true meaning of
memorial
day it is to celebrate our heroes. They are all around us in many shape
and
forms. We saw so many last year in the hurricanes. There are to many to
even start naming but each deserves the honor and title of hero.
Even if your culture, religion or family does not celebrate Memorial
day you still have your heroes and they deserved to be honored. Thank
you
for your moment

Thank you for this, Matthew.

On Thursday evening I gave a speech about courage. I mentioned some of
the
examples of courage that make the news. Then I went on to say that there
are many types of courage that often go unnoticed. I mentioned a woman
named Marge. She grew up in Los Angeles, a city girl. At the age of 21,
she married a farmer's son. She then lived in a farming community in the
San Juaquin Valley, which is extremely hot in the summer and very cold in
the winter. She and her husband lived in a basement with no utilities,
not
even running water. In fact, there wasn't even a house on top of the
basement. She had to learn to cook on a wood stove.

Later the family moved to East Los Angeles. During World War II, her
husband who wasn't eligible for military duty because of a previous injury
worked at the naval drydocks, where navy ships were brought for repair and
refurbishment. He worked nights. When there was an air raid drill,
people
never knew whether it was a drill or the real thing. Marge was terrified
for her husband, since he was working at a prime target, but whenever the
drills came along, she entertained her children with stories she made up.
Her children never knew she was afraid, and actually looked forward to the
drills.

Many years later, her husband was diagnosed with cancer, and she nursed
him
at home through the last year of his life. She was 74 when he died, and
she
began to travel. At the age of 80, after living in California all her
life,
she moved to Alaska, where she still lives.

She is now 94, and recently her health has deteriorated considerably. She
has always been fiercely independent, and fought the idea of needing help.
Her daughters knew she needed to enter a care facility, but dreaded her
anger if they pushed the decision on her. Suddenly, she made the decision
herself. Once she decided to move, she dictated letters to her friends
telling them of her move, and began planning to decorate her room. She
decided to be happy there, and she is. Marge is my mother. She is also
my
hero.

My monitor has gone all misty.

That was beautiful Joy. Thankyou.

Yowie

Dang it matthew, if my monitor wasn't misty before I read Joy's post about
her hero, my monitor plain dissapeared with this one.

Yowie

"Matthew aka NMR" wrote in message
.. .
TEARS AND HUGS

Heroes come in many shapes, and actions it can be as simple as a child
saying no to drugs for his parents warned him of the troubles. Heroes are
something this world needs and can never do without.
We forget and take them for granted till we have that desperate moment
where our world is turned upside down. Than a helping hand puts a blanket
around our shoulders tell us it will be alright. A strangers offers a
smile and a kind word of hope enough to stop that unthinkable moment. A
hand reaches into the darkness to pull a loved one to safety risking
everything to save a stranger. People call them heroes and I call them
angels and I am proud be able to pass their storeis along

I read this many years ago. I keep if posted on my wall and everytime I
feel like I can't go on. I read it and know I can go on there is more
work to do.


The Creation of a Firefighter

When the Lord was creating Firefighters, he was into his sixth day of
overtime when an angel appeared and said, "You're doing a lot of fiddling
around on this one." And the Lord said," Have you read the specification
on this person?

Firefighters have to be able to go for hours fighting fires or tending to
a person that the usual every day person would never touch, while putting
in the back of their mind the circumstances.

They have to be able to move at a second's notice and not think twice of
what they are about to do, no matter what danger. They have to be in top
physical condition at all times, running on half-eaten meals, and they
must have six pair of hands.

"The angel shook her head slowly and said, "Six pairs of hands........no
way."

It's not the hands that are causing me problems," said the Lord, it's the
three pairs of eyes a Firefighter has to have." That's on the standard
model? "asked the angel. The Lord nodded. "One pair that sees through the
fire and where they and their fellow Firefighters should fight the fire
next. Another pair here in the side of the head to see their fellow
Firefighters and keep them safe. And another pair of eyes in the front so
that they can look for the victims caught in the fire that need their
help."

"Lord said the angel, touching his sleeve, "Rest and work on this
tomorrow," I can't said the Lord, I already have a model that can carry a
250 pound man down a flight of stairs and to safety from a burning
building, and can feed a family of five on a civil service paycheck."

The angel circled the model of the Firefighter very slowly, "Can it
think?" you bet said the Lord. It can tell you the elements of a hundred
fires, and can recite procedures in their sleep that are needed to care
for a person until they reach the hospital. And all the while they have to
keep their wits about themselves. This Firefighter also has a phenomenal
personal control. They can deal with a scene full of pain and hurt,
coaxing a child's mother into letting go of the child, so they can care
for the child in need. And still they rarely get the recognition for a job
well done from anybody, other than from fellow Firefighters."

Finally, the angel bent over and ran her finger across the cheek of the
Firefighter. "There's a leak, she pronounced." Lord it's a tear, what's
the tear for? asked the angel.

"It's a tear from the bottled-up emotions for fallen comrades. A tear for
commitment to that funny piece of cloth called the American Flag. It's a
tear for all the pain and suffering they have encountered. And it's a tear
for their commitment to caring for and saving lives of their fellow man!"
"What a wonderful feature Lord, You're a genius said the angel.

The Lord looked somber and said

"I didn't put it there"


**Author Unknown**


"Joy" wrote in message
.com...
"Matthew aka NMR" wrote in message
.. .
Hello everyone I hope that your memorial day is going great like mine.
But
I had to take a moment when my young nice came up to me and asked me why
memorial day is celebrated. I had to look down at her and give her that
proud smile that all parent or family gets when some one does something
special.
I told her it to celebrate heroes. She looked at me like what was I
talking about. I took her hand and said I want you listen very careful
and
watch everyone. I asked the party to pay attention for a moment and
told
them my niece wants to know what a hero is. I took her hand to every
member
of the party starting with my firefighter buddies and introduced them
to
my niece and told her why they are heroes. Each member of the shelter,
the
rescue groups and our police officers friends were introduced to my
niece.
I told her each individual story on why they are heroes and what makes a
hero. The most important hero I walked up to her with her in my arms to
her
father and mother and said her is the greatest heroes of all time. She
looked at me funny and of course said I was being silly. I told her
everyday your parents make sacrifices to make sure you have everything
you
need or want. They face this world with open arms making sure you will
have
a place in it they are the greatest heroes alive.

So on that note take a moment to remember the true meaning of
memorial
day it is to celebrate our heroes. They are all around us in many shape
and
forms. We saw so many last year in the hurricanes. There are to many to
even start naming but each deserves the honor and title of hero.
Even if your culture, religion or family does not celebrate
Memorial
day you still have your heroes and they deserved to be honored. Thank
you
for your moment

Thank you for this, Matthew.

On Thursday evening I gave a speech about courage. I mentioned some of
the
examples of courage that make the news. Then I went on to say that there
are many types of courage that often go unnoticed. I mentioned a woman
named Marge. She grew up in Los Angeles, a city girl. At the age of 21,
she married a farmer's son. She then lived in a farming community in the
San Juaquin Valley, which is extremely hot in the summer and very cold in
the winter. She and her husband lived in a basement with no utilities,
not
even running water. In fact, there wasn't even a house on top of the
basement. She had to learn to cook on a wood stove.

Later the family moved to East Los Angeles. During World War II, her
husband who wasn't eligible for military duty because of a previous
injury
worked at the naval drydocks, where navy ships were brought for repair
and
refurbishment. He worked nights. When there was an air raid drill,
people
never knew whether it was a drill or the real thing. Marge was terrified
for her husband, since he was working at a prime target, but whenever the
drills came along, she entertained her children with stories she made up.
Her children never knew she was afraid, and actually looked forward to
the
drills.

Many years later, her husband was diagnosed with cancer, and she nursed
him
at home through the last year of his life. She was 74 when he died, and
she
began to travel. At the age of 80, after living in California all her
life,
she moved to Alaska, where she still lives.

She is now 94, and recently her health has deteriorated considerably.
She
has always been fiercely independent, and fought the idea of needing
help.
Her daughters knew she needed to enter a care facility, but dreaded her
anger if they pushed the decision on her. Suddenly, she made the
decision
herself. Once she decided to move, she dictated letters to her friends
telling them of her move, and began planning to decorate her room. She
decided to be happy there, and she is. Marge is my mother. She is also
my
hero.

Joy