Memorial Day is an important day in America.  It's a day to give thanks, to pay tribute and to remember those who gave their lives to protect our country.

I have been wearing my Pearl Island Bike Across America jerseys every day of the trip so far, but today in honor of Memorial Day I will be wearing the jerseys my boys JF and Kenneth gave me for a birthday a couple of years ago.  I'll be wearing the Air Force jersey in the morning and the Marine jersey in the afternoon.

My son JF Winters is currently a Captain in the Marine Reserve stationed in Great Lakes in Chicago.  He previously was active duty stationed in Okinawa for a couple of years and works for Hewlett Packard when he's not doing his weekend warrior duties.

My son Kenneth Winters is an active duty Captain in the Air Force and is a pilot.  He has served in Italy and in Afghanistan and has been stationed in numerous Air Force bases around the nation.

Jaine and I are extremely proud of our boys and wish them well as they serve our country. 

On an added note, our family has a strong military background as my father Jack Winters served in the Navy, Jaine's father Frank Gombar served in the Army and Jaine's brother Wade also served in the Army.

No doubt many of the readers of this blog have family that are currently in the service or have served in the past and we wish them the best on this special day.  For all of our veterans past and present...thanks for serving our country.

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow reminds us that while our soldiers may have suffered and paid the ultimate price, it is our duty to remember them.

"Your silent tents of green,

We deck with fragrant flowers,

Yours has the suffering been,

The memory has been ours.

It is right and just to honor the dead who laid down their lives for our freedom, but we, in this great nation of ours, should always desire peace over war.  In the words of Eric Burdon:

"On Memorial Day, I don't want to only remember the combatants.  There were also those who came out of the trenches as writers and poets, who started preaching peace, men and women who have made this world a kinder place to live."

Let's pray for peace so our honored dead did not sacrifice their lives in vain.

 

We need your help!  Please donate to the best of your ability without doing material damage to yourself.  Every little bit helps and is much appreciated!