What Matters Monday
Monday, May 25th, 2009Did you know that today is Memorial Day here in the United States? I’m sure you did…how could you not with a three day weekend, barbeques, etc…! Memorial Day is a time for us to honor those who have given their lives in service to our country. As you’re reading this, I am hopefully doing just that while visiting Gettysburg…
Here’s an international twist to Memorial Day I found at usmemorialday.org.
In 1915, inspired by the poem “In Flanders Fields,” Moina Michael replied with her own poem:
We cherish too, the Poppy red
That grows on fields where valor led,
It seems to signal to the skies
That blood of heroes never dies.
She then conceived of an idea to wear red poppies on Memorial day in honor of those who died serving the nation during war. She was the first to wear one, and sold poppies to her friends and co-workers with the money going to benefit servicemen in need. Later a Madam Guerin from France was visiting the United States and learned of this new custom started by Ms.Michael and when she returned to France, made artificial red poppies to raise money for war orphaned children and widowed women. This tradition spread to other countries. In 1921, the Franco-American Children’s League sold poppies nationally to benefit war orphans of France and Belgium. The League disbanded a year later and Madam Guerin approached the VFW (Veterans of Foreign Wars) for help. Shortly before Memorial Day in 1922 the VFW became the first veterans’ organization to nationally sell poppies. Two years later their “Buddy” Poppy program was selling artificial poppies made by disabled veterans. In 1948 the US Post Office honored Ms Michael for her role in founding the National Poppy movement by issuing a red 3 cent postage stamp with her likeness on it.
I hope you’ll take some time today and reflect on those who have given so much for your country.
And some scrapbooking inspiration…
A hero is someone who has given his or her life to something bigger than oneself. Joseph Campbell
Bravery never goes out of fashion. William Makepeace Thackeray
A hero is one who knows how to hang on one minute longer. Novalis
It is surmounting difficulties that makes heroes. Louis Pasteur
True bravery is shown by performing without witness what one might be capable of doing before all the world.
François de la Rochefoucauld
When You Go Home, Tell Them Of Us And Say,
For Their Tomorrow, We Gave Our Today
The Kohima Epitaph
