Happy Memorial Day
10:02 PM Monday, May 26, 2008I think I would be a fool if I didn't take just a brief moment to share our gratitude for the service of so many men and women who have sacrificed to serve our country. I suppose you could call me a patriot. I am wonderfully imbued with this special gift in part because of my dad. In 1973 he joined the Navy. He spent 30 years in uniform honorably serving this country. My mom stood faithfully next to his side, raising me and keeping our home.
The armed forces have always inspired me. Movies, books and songs are written about great events in our history that in some cases could only happen because a guy stood up and grabbed a rifle and did something heoric. Memorial Day was first celebrated as a national holiday in 1868, at a time when the U.S. Civil War was still fresh in the minds of everyone. It was so named in honor of those that gave the lasting and eternal sacrifice, on both sides of that conflict. It did not become an official holiday until 1967. On this day and again on Veteran's Day, I often think of the words of Abraham Lincoln.
The armed forces have always inspired me. Movies, books and songs are written about great events in our history that in some cases could only happen because a guy stood up and grabbed a rifle and did something heoric. Memorial Day was first celebrated as a national holiday in 1868, at a time when the U.S. Civil War was still fresh in the minds of everyone. It was so named in honor of those that gave the lasting and eternal sacrifice, on both sides of that conflict. It did not become an official holiday until 1967. On this day and again on Veteran's Day, I often think of the words of Abraham Lincoln.
In 1864, Lincoln was encouraged to write a letter to Mrs. Lydia Bixby. It was thought that she had just lost her 5th son since the onset of war. Lincoln's letter to her is prescient:
"Dear Madam,
I have been shown in the files of the War Department a statement of the Adjutant General of Massachusetts that you are the mother of five sons who have died gloriously on the field of battle.
I feel how weak and fruitless must be any word of mine which should attempt to beguile you from the grief of a loss so overwhelming. But I cannot refrain from tendering you the consolation that may be found in the thanks of the Republic they died to save.
I pray that our Heavenly Father may assuage the anguish of your bereavement, and leave you only the cherished memory of the loved and lost, and the solemn pride that must be yours to have laid so costly a sacrifice upon the altar of freedom.
Yours, very sincerely and respectfully,
I have been shown in the files of the War Department a statement of the Adjutant General of Massachusetts that you are the mother of five sons who have died gloriously on the field of battle.
I feel how weak and fruitless must be any word of mine which should attempt to beguile you from the grief of a loss so overwhelming. But I cannot refrain from tendering you the consolation that may be found in the thanks of the Republic they died to save.
I pray that our Heavenly Father may assuage the anguish of your bereavement, and leave you only the cherished memory of the loved and lost, and the solemn pride that must be yours to have laid so costly a sacrifice upon the altar of freedom.
Yours, very sincerely and respectfully,
A. Lincoln"
Today, as we grilled hamburgers and hot dogs, and flew American Flags, I hope we uttered the words Liberty and Freedom with solemn respect for those like my father, my uncle, and many generations of my grandfathers, who never said that the hill was too hard to climb, the seas to rough to sail, or the air too thick to fly. May God continue to bless America.
Ajoining the homesite is a place where John Adams grandson, Charles Francis Adams constructed the first ever presidential library. In 1870, the structure was completed and it houses over 12,000 volumes. There is little of the Adams presidency in the library. Instead, the volumes are all books that John and his son John Quincy read. The tilework inside is imported Italian tile. The pattern is ornate and designed by Charles Francis himself... there is an error in the tilework, a piece purposely put out of place. It was Charles way of telling the world that only God was perfect. I wish we were allowed to take photos inside. The library was my favorite part of this two hour time-travel.
