Deborah- Thanks so much for sharing this. The image of the one-eyed medic will stay with me for some time. I appreciate this reflection. Hope you're well this week, Deborah-
I will never forget my mum, tightly gripping my hand, trying to cross a busy London street as the air raid loud warning signal started to wail. A man in USA air force uniform came up to us & took my hand in his helping us cross the street. He said, "I have a little girl at home just like you."
Oh mom, you might have spoken about this a long time ago, but it feels very fresh to me. This brought me tears. A good soldier doing his best. So much brings me tears in light of the world today. There is a lot of goodness in the midst of the worst. In the midst of fighting for what is right and not what is wrong. No one wants war and death - Most importantly, no one should ever suffer at the hands of people who do not want them to exist. Who hate because of their faith, race, sex, beliefs, etc. No one should have to suffer this. You know that five million non-Jewish people died and I believe the chances you and Nana, alone, in a bad area, during the war, could have died. The Nazis wiped out any person that didn’t matter or got in their way of their ultimate goal. We are seeing this again and it hurts terribly. I love you mom. ox
I so much enjoyed reading this beautiful tribute today on Memorial Day Deborah! God bless you ✨💜🙏🤗 May all those who have lost their lives during these wars and duty doing the right thing for humanity continue to Rest In Peace among the angels watching over us. ✨💜✨🙏
Thank you so much Charlotte. It's hard to imagine what so many people have gone through and are continuing to go through. War is terrible 😞 I have so much respect for those who have served and many who have given everything. God Bless you too. Hope your weekend was peaceful and sending you much love for a good week ahead. oxox
@Deborah T. Hewitt Gosh, and what happened to peace? ✌️☮️🕊Remember after America recovered from the Vietnam War it was all about peace and love. And brotherly love? 🤜🏾🤛🏻 🫶
A wonderful Memorial Day tribute. I had dated a guy that was a photographer in the Vietnam War. The photographers were in the frontlines. Sometimes he talked of sleeping in the trenches with one eye open. He was only eighteen - a child. He came back, but the experience had scarred him mentally. Very touching. Thank you.
Thank you Monica. Amazing to have dated someone who was a photojournalist during Vietnam. Surreal what they went through. I can only imagine the scars 😢
Wow… what a treasure, those old Life magazines. That’s the only way we knew what was going in! Yes… the photographers did an amazing job…boots on ground with the soldiers, battles fields and all. Thank you for sharing your family photos of veterans. My brother served in Vietnam…could not stay here in the states after he returned. He’s been a citizen of Australia ever since. I think it saved him mentally. He had to be away from hate and riots. He is just now beginning to talk about it sometimes.. at age 76. But he’s a happy, fun-loving bloke! He never forgets his buddies who were KIA or those he grew up with who’ve had difficult lives over the years…still keeps in touch. 💕I’m off track here… you just touched my heart again with this beautiful essay, beautiful tribute to those who fought for us! Thank you for the best reflection I’ve read on the meaning and importance of Memorial Day. ❤️🤍💙🇺🇸❤️💙🇺🇸
Oh Joan, thank you for sharing this with me. Do you get to see your brother here and there? So very sad he felt driven out of his homeland 😔 He sounds like a special guy. You must have missed him a lot all these years.
Thank you for your kindness and I'm glad this touched your heart. Sending you my love. oxox
Oh yes! Our parents went over every five years; he came here in between… so we saw him every 2 1/2 years. I’ve been twice. Now that we’re older, it’s not as often. He calls all of us siblings once a week and they’re on FB. He’s still anti-American and we call him out foreigner! All good. Thanks for caring! 🫶😘
Oh that’s good to hear! Hard to stay in touch with so many miles between you but sounds like the bonds are strong. I can only imagine what so many vets went through upon returning home. He did the right thing for his soul. For his life. It’s different for everyone. Sending you much love. ox
Beautiful Memorial Day reflection, Deb. Thank you for the bit about the photographers who captured these horrors, a physical record of how awful it is. And I will say a little prayer of gratitude for your military ancestors ❤️
Thank you so much Jenn for reading this. I honestly don't know how we would be deeply affected without seeing the images. The horror. I recently listened to an interview with a longtime female war photojournalist and it was so intense. They live with equal amounts of PTSD since their innate souls also long to help - yet they are helpless as they document war history. Imagine sitting in a battlefield with pencil and sketch paper during the Civil War! I've been researching this for a possible story. It was quicker than waiting for photographs.
But mainly, the men and women who we have lost and those who lost pieces of their lives, forever affected. I listened to a Vietnam vet, last night in an interview, say he will remain haunted by things no one should ever see. The women and children running for their lives. Gut wrenching. We see these images, pressed into our memories, because of photojournalism. Can't imagine what so many who fought battle. Or surviving victims of war. How they go on living.
Thank you again. Hope you're having a peaceful Memorial Day. We had our two oldest and grandchildren over for bbq Sunday and it was the best in a long, long time. God is so good when you trust Him with your story. oxox
Your heart is so deep and wide ❤️. The images are horrific, but I agree it is an important job to document. I am so glad you had a wonderful day with your family, it sounds perfect.
Deborah- Thanks so much for sharing this. The image of the one-eyed medic will stay with me for some time. I appreciate this reflection. Hope you're well this week, Deborah-
Thank you so much Thalia. It’s an impacting image and one that I’ve carried in my mind a long time. I hope you’re doing well too. ox
I will never forget my mum, tightly gripping my hand, trying to cross a busy London street as the air raid loud warning signal started to wail. A man in USA air force uniform came up to us & took my hand in his helping us cross the street. He said, "I have a little girl at home just like you."
I was 7 years old.
Oh mom, you might have spoken about this a long time ago, but it feels very fresh to me. This brought me tears. A good soldier doing his best. So much brings me tears in light of the world today. There is a lot of goodness in the midst of the worst. In the midst of fighting for what is right and not what is wrong. No one wants war and death - Most importantly, no one should ever suffer at the hands of people who do not want them to exist. Who hate because of their faith, race, sex, beliefs, etc. No one should have to suffer this. You know that five million non-Jewish people died and I believe the chances you and Nana, alone, in a bad area, during the war, could have died. The Nazis wiped out any person that didn’t matter or got in their way of their ultimate goal. We are seeing this again and it hurts terribly. I love you mom. ox
I so much enjoyed reading this beautiful tribute today on Memorial Day Deborah! God bless you ✨💜🙏🤗 May all those who have lost their lives during these wars and duty doing the right thing for humanity continue to Rest In Peace among the angels watching over us. ✨💜✨🙏
Thank you so much Charlotte. It's hard to imagine what so many people have gone through and are continuing to go through. War is terrible 😞 I have so much respect for those who have served and many who have given everything. God Bless you too. Hope your weekend was peaceful and sending you much love for a good week ahead. oxox
@Deborah T. Hewitt Gosh, and what happened to peace? ✌️☮️🕊Remember after America recovered from the Vietnam War it was all about peace and love. And brotherly love? 🤜🏾🤛🏻 🫶
Right? Seems the powers that be don't do much bargaining for peace anymore 😔
A wonderful Memorial Day tribute. I had dated a guy that was a photographer in the Vietnam War. The photographers were in the frontlines. Sometimes he talked of sleeping in the trenches with one eye open. He was only eighteen - a child. He came back, but the experience had scarred him mentally. Very touching. Thank you.
Thank you Monica. Amazing to have dated someone who was a photojournalist during Vietnam. Surreal what they went through. I can only imagine the scars 😢
Hope you had a peaceful weekend. 😘
So much good stuff packed in this. Thanks Deborah.
Thank you so much Charles 🙏🏻😘
Wow… what a treasure, those old Life magazines. That’s the only way we knew what was going in! Yes… the photographers did an amazing job…boots on ground with the soldiers, battles fields and all. Thank you for sharing your family photos of veterans. My brother served in Vietnam…could not stay here in the states after he returned. He’s been a citizen of Australia ever since. I think it saved him mentally. He had to be away from hate and riots. He is just now beginning to talk about it sometimes.. at age 76. But he’s a happy, fun-loving bloke! He never forgets his buddies who were KIA or those he grew up with who’ve had difficult lives over the years…still keeps in touch. 💕I’m off track here… you just touched my heart again with this beautiful essay, beautiful tribute to those who fought for us! Thank you for the best reflection I’ve read on the meaning and importance of Memorial Day. ❤️🤍💙🇺🇸❤️💙🇺🇸
Much Love to you and yours
Oh Joan, thank you for sharing this with me. Do you get to see your brother here and there? So very sad he felt driven out of his homeland 😔 He sounds like a special guy. You must have missed him a lot all these years.
Thank you for your kindness and I'm glad this touched your heart. Sending you my love. oxox
Oh yes! Our parents went over every five years; he came here in between… so we saw him every 2 1/2 years. I’ve been twice. Now that we’re older, it’s not as often. He calls all of us siblings once a week and they’re on FB. He’s still anti-American and we call him out foreigner! All good. Thanks for caring! 🫶😘
Oh that’s good to hear! Hard to stay in touch with so many miles between you but sounds like the bonds are strong. I can only imagine what so many vets went through upon returning home. He did the right thing for his soul. For his life. It’s different for everyone. Sending you much love. ox
Beautiful Memorial Day reflection, Deb. Thank you for the bit about the photographers who captured these horrors, a physical record of how awful it is. And I will say a little prayer of gratitude for your military ancestors ❤️
Thank you so much Jenn for reading this. I honestly don't know how we would be deeply affected without seeing the images. The horror. I recently listened to an interview with a longtime female war photojournalist and it was so intense. They live with equal amounts of PTSD since their innate souls also long to help - yet they are helpless as they document war history. Imagine sitting in a battlefield with pencil and sketch paper during the Civil War! I've been researching this for a possible story. It was quicker than waiting for photographs.
But mainly, the men and women who we have lost and those who lost pieces of their lives, forever affected. I listened to a Vietnam vet, last night in an interview, say he will remain haunted by things no one should ever see. The women and children running for their lives. Gut wrenching. We see these images, pressed into our memories, because of photojournalism. Can't imagine what so many who fought battle. Or surviving victims of war. How they go on living.
Thank you again. Hope you're having a peaceful Memorial Day. We had our two oldest and grandchildren over for bbq Sunday and it was the best in a long, long time. God is so good when you trust Him with your story. oxox
Your heart is so deep and wide ❤️. The images are horrific, but I agree it is an important job to document. I am so glad you had a wonderful day with your family, it sounds perfect.
Thank you Jenn. Hope you have a good week. ox
Thank you, you too!