{"id":1269,"date":"2025-05-26T13:16:47","date_gmt":"2025-05-26T13:16:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/fathersvineyard.org\/militaryministry\/?p=1269"},"modified":"2025-05-26T13:29:49","modified_gmt":"2025-05-26T13:29:49","slug":"what-memorial-day-means-to-me","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/fathersvineyard.org\/militaryministry\/2025\/05\/26\/what-memorial-day-means-to-me\/","title":{"rendered":"What Memorial Day Means To Me"},"content":{"rendered":"

What Memorial Day Means To Me<\/strong><\/p>\n

When I think of Memorial Day, I\u2019m drawn back to the stories my uncles once shared; stories forged in the crucibles of WWII, Korea, and Vietnam. As a child, I couldn\u2019t grasp the weight behind their words. Now, more than a half century later, I wished I had listened more closely, asked better questions and sought to truly understand what war was like through their eyes.<\/p>\n

What once seemed like simple stories have become profound legacies, shaping my understanding of service, sacrifice, and the power of remembrance.<\/p>\n

I can still see my Uncle Woody\u2019s funeral like it happened yesterday. Etched into the memory of my heart, The American Flag draped with precision over his casket – union positioned at the head – over the left shoulder; as to pay her final respects – honoring my uncle for his service, his sacrifice. The weight of silence hung in the air, shattered only by the piercing cracks of the 21-gun salute. Each shot echoing through the cemetery \u2013 piercing my soul; each shot a final goodbye.<\/p>\n

Since becoming a Guardian with BRHF and a volunteer with The Wall That Heals, Memorial Day has taken on a profoundly deeper meaning for me. I\u2019ve walked alongside veterans as they\u2019ve pivoted from The Three Servicemen bronze statue, to begin their slow, solemn descent down the path to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, The Wall, \u2013 each step, their reflections merge with the 58,281 names etched into the polished black granite \u2013 each name a life cut short, each one a silent testament to the true cost of war. As my veterans search for the names of their fallen brothers, I can feel the heavy presence of the war they once survived.<\/p>\n

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SGT Maj Don Barrett, Vietnam Wall, DC, Blue Ridge Honor Flight 04\/24\/2024<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

There\u2019s a sacred stillness in those moments. You can see it in their eyes \u2013 the pain, the memories, the love for their fallen brothers and sisters in arms. Their posture shifts, their voices tremble, and time seems to pause as the weight of war settles once more onto their shoulders. It is in those moments that I\u2019ve come to understand the true cost of service and sacrifice.<\/p>\n

I\u2019ve also stood beside families at the traveling Wall, The Wall That Heals, watching loved ones lay flowers, trace names with trembling hands and whisper messages to their loved ones who never returned home. These moments remind me that Memorial Day is not just a day of remembrance, it\u2019s a solemn promise to never forget<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

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Three Brother tracing the names of a fallen brother in arms, The Wall That Heals, Spartanburg, SC 2023<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

It is not about BBQs, and boat rides, nor is it about celebrating war; it\u2019s about honoring the cost. It is a reminder that behind each life lost was a patriot, a hero, a legacy we inherit and are responsible for carrying forward as we remember. For me, it\u2019s personal. It\u2019s powerful. It\u2019s a privilege and honor to carry their stories forward.<\/p>\n

Lisa Marie Barrett, Director<\/em><\/p>\n

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Greater love has no one than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends – John 15:13<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

What Memorial Day Means To Me When I think of Memorial Day, I\u2019m drawn back to the stories my uncles once shared; stories forged in the crucibles of WWII, Korea, and Vietnam. As a child, I couldn\u2019t grasp the weight behind their words. Now, more than a half century later, I wished I had listened … <\/p>\n

Continue reading “What Memorial Day Means To Me”<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"episode_type":"","audio_file":"","podmotor_file_id":"","podmotor_episode_id":"","cover_image":"","cover_image_id":"","duration":"","filesize":"","filesize_raw":"","date_recorded":"","explicit":"","block":"","itunes_episode_number":"","itunes_title":"","itunes_season_number":"","itunes_episode_type":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1269","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t