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Monday, May 31, 2021

Sunflowers on Memorial Day

Tall sunflowers blooming in summer in las cruces


These sunflowers are standing tall and still in the heat, as if they know of the solemnity of Memorial Day.

"All gave some. Some gave all."

pretty sunflowers in a field


My father was an ensign in the U.S. Navy in World War II. Beyond dirt poor and extremely thin, he borrowed as many coins as he could from friends and filled his pockets, so that he could "make weight" and enlist. His first non-home haircut, his first train ride, his first venture out of a small town in Louisiana, all courtesy of the Armed Forces. 

His first swimming lesson: He could jump, or he could be tossed from, a high platform into the deep pool below, in San Diego. After seeing a few thrown off the diving platform, he jumped, despite his intense fear of heights.

In the mess hall in San Diego, the sailors were served two "alligator pears" each at every meal. One of his buddies bit into his, right through the peel, then spat it out, quick. "It's bitter," he said. Not having seen them before, or even having heard of them, he, like many other country boys, threw them out, untouched. 

My father loved to tell that story. "I threw away a fortune in avocados," he would say, ruefully. "If only I had known."  

Something else courtesy of Uncle Sam: A Harvard education, free, gratis, no strings attached. And no say in it, either. You signed up, you took their tests, you went where they said to go. My father wanted to study engineering and serve on a ship. No, said the Navy. You are going to be an actuary.

I do not glorify war, but I do not want the wars forgotten. But as the history teacher at our school was explaining, the wars of our fathers and the wars during our youths will be as big an abstraction to today's students as the War of 1812 is to us. It will carry no emotional import, even second-hand import. Although I was not yet born, the tales of WWII are vivid in my mind, were vivid in my childhood; part of it, ever-present, really. 

His remarks really distressed me. "It's how it is," he said. "Just remember, as long as you can. Just remember." 

sunflowers memorial day

Kind regards,

Olde Dame Holly




21 comments :

  1. What a pretty field of sunflowers. Interesting story about the alligator pears. Have not heard about them. It's funny how they learned to swim back in the day. They were just tossed in had to learn on their own. Have a nice Memorial Day, Holly, with peaceful resting, and remembering our Fathers.

    ~Sheri

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  2. What a beautiful post for this Memorial Day. So poignant and well written.

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  3. Your family sounds like an amazing man. Thank you for sharing.
    Sadly, some gave all that we may enjoy the freedoms we have today. May God bless their families, our current military and may GOD BLESS AMERICA!!!

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  4. I think those of us whose parents belonged the greatest generation will always have that emotional connection to WWII. It was a defining point in our parent's lives as was growing up during the Great Depression.

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    1. I agree Jan, we have that connection. As do my two boys ages 26 & 19, they are history buffs. I made sure they new their grandpa served proudly in WWII>

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  5. My father was in the Navy in WWII also. He seldom talked about it but it was still so fresh for so many that we grew up understanding the horror of it. Two of my brothers served during the Vietnam period. One died there. I hope we never forget all the lives lost to protect our freedoms.

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    1. I pray never to forget. I am sorry to hear of your loss.

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  6. My dad was in Korea and he never talked about it. When he was getting out Vietnam was just starting. I honor those families who truly gave to this country with the life of their son or daughters.
    Cathy

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  7. I really enjoyed this post, and love the avocado story! As Americans we all owe a debt to the military veterans, like your Father, who gave so much and made it possible for our way of life to endure.

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  8. We don't have Memorial Day in Canada. Instead we have Remembrance Day on November 11th.

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    1. That is our Veteran's Day. I like the name of the Canadian holiday very much. Remembrance.

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  9. What lovely sunflowers. They are stunning. Loved the avocado story. Too bad your dad didn't know then what he learned later.

    I was invited to a writing group a few years ago. Most of the women were much older than me. One day we began talking about the war and I asked what war? Most of the ladies said WWII. One lady said Vietnam. They asked me and I said Iraq and Afghanistan. It's all in the perspective, I believe. Have a decent Memorial Day, dear.

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  10. That was sad what he said . . . our history is so important . . . we should never forget. it doesn't matter how long ago a battle was, young men and women gave their lives for our freedom. We need to hold fast to those freedoms, so that their deaths were not in vain.

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  11. All that died so that we could be free..even from the 1700's. A great tribute to your father. My dad joined the Marines in the Korean War. Thankfully he made it back home even though he was shot in the head and fortunately had his helmet on. Janice PS Sunflowers are my happy flower. :-)

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  12. My father was an army man the day after he turned 17, in 1924. He was a radio man, and packed his equipment on mules. So long ago.

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  13. One of the best "Memorial" posts I have read. Your father sounds like he was a most fascinating man. Ha ha...I have never hear avocados called "alligator pears" before. I likely would have still thrown them away....I do not like them unless they are made into guacamole LOL. I love what the history teacher said about wars....so true...and so sad. I read a great deal...and have read many, many, books about WWII...some historical accounts, some historical fiction, but the details of that war can be conjured very readily for me. (I was also a Civil War obsessionist so that one can be conjured rather quickly as well.) Yet I know for most of our youth it was just something that happened a long time ago. Beautiful sunflowers. Wow...they are blooming already there?? ~Robin~

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  14. Beautiful sunflowers, powerful post.

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  15. My dad also served in the U.S. Navy during World War II. He never wanted to talk about it. A beautiful Memorial Day post.

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  16. Your words have the power to move mountains!! Well done. Beautiful sunflowers.

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  17. So very true. The students of today just can't seem to relate to WWII or even Viet Nam. And they don't understand about the fighting for our freedoms part much either. So many do not realize how valuable our freedoms are and are all too willing to let them go. We really need to pray for our future generations. Loved your post.

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  18. It will be soon our Memorial Day here in Normandy June 6th
    A very special day to us.
    I love sunflowers they are the flowers of Summer

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