Hay-Ku of the Day ("Some Gave All. All Gave Some")

"Some Gave All. All Gave 

Some," is so much more than a

"Memorial" Slogan.

"Some Gave All. All Gave 

Some," captures the Spirit of

Self-Sacrifice and Love.

***

"Freedom Isn't Free"

It's bought with the Sacrifice

Of those who Love It.

"Freedom isn't Free"

It's bought with self-disciple

And self-sacrifice.

***

Heroes are those willing

To go "In Harm's Way" for

The "Freedom of All."

***

"Memorial Day"

Reminds us of the real price

Paid for our "Freedom."

"Memorial Day"

Honors "self-sacrifice" for

The "good of others."

"Memorial Day"

Honors those who "sacrificed 

Their lives" for "freedom."

[Rich Note 1: I had the honor and privilege of representing Vietnam Vets with a talk at a 7 stage Memorial  Service in Woodbury, New Jersey, sponsored by the Boy Scouts, on Memorial Day;  and that at the behest of Charles Hughes.

On the following day, I was similarly honored to speak to 3rd, 4th and 5th graders at the Walnut Street and Evergreen Avenue elementary schools in Woodbury. In the last case, I was specifically asked to address my Vietnam experience, my fallen comrade, TSgt Clyde D. Alloway, and why honoring our Veterans, living and fallen, is so important. What follows is the gist of what was shared with the kids:

"Memorial Day is a time to remember that the "freedom" we as Americans are all blessed to enjoy came with a heavy price -- freedom, we often take for granted; freedom that was purchased with the blood and sacrifice of past and present fellow Americans, in defense of our Country.

"In this regard, freedom is the key, kids, because if we lose our freedom, all the other great things Americans stands for and love will be lost. As such, we cannot afford to give up our individual and collective freedom, as a country or people, without a fight or unwittingly trade it for personal material gain.

"Summing it all up, kids, as two of the memorials visited on Memorial Day reminded me: "Some gave All. All Gave Some."]

[Rich Note 2: Also worth sharing, is that I was pretty much mobbed by a group of 2 or 3rd graders, who were about to leave the library when we first entered in the Evergreen school; a group of joyful kids that shook my hand, thanked me for my service, and then asked to hug me (and some multiple times). Definitely a "once in a lifetime event," that truly melted this old soldier's heart.]