Monday, May 25, 2015

Happy Memorial Day!

In commemoration of all those who have served for and/or given their lives for our great country since its inception, I offer the following poem for your reading pleasure. It’s a wonderful verse that I found which truly captures the spirit of the holiday. God bless our troops, our veterans and all of our fallen heroes that have given so much to preserve our freedoms. Please remember that the freedoms we hold so dear are fragile things that can be easily extinguished if not fought for and preserved, not only by our troops, but by each and every one of us! Happy Memorial Day from my office and family!

The Flowers of Spring
by Barry Parks

Winter’s icy grip may cling overly long some years
But the seemly reluctant warmth eventually breaks through
The frozen soil is released once more to bear its’ fruit
And in a few turns of the earth the first shoots break free

The chill that has haunted the air fades beneath a warming sun
Young shoots stretch skyward and their buds begin to swell
Soon the soft breeze sweetens as delicate petals unfurl
And so the flowers of Spring awaken the world from winter’s cold slumber

The sweet breeze swells with promise and calls forth memories
It swells with the promise of a bright and free future
It calls forth the memories of those who bought that future for all of us
Memories of those who purchased our freedom with their blood and their lives

For generations, they answered the call to duty
They set aside their own lives to answer their county’s need
They willingly left their own lives and loved ones behind
They put their country first and took up arms when they heard the call

Their numbers grow with every threat to our great country
With each threat the call is answered by a wave of our new heroes
They shoulder the responsibility and march to her defense
One by one their names are added to the list of those who bought our freedom

As Spring is a time of renewal for all living things
So is it a time of renewal of our obligation to remember those heroes
For without their courage and sacrifice
Where in the world would we be?