On December 15th, hundreds of people gave up their day to lay wreaths on the graves of our soldiers at Arlington Cemetery. On January 13th, just as many gathered to take them off. An absolute honor.
The copious amounts of wreaths and Christmas decorations made by people and families that love. What a fitting way to honor our fallen troops during Christmastime, and what a humbling reminder of just how big their sacrifices were. It tore me up a little bit inside to have to take down the decorations.
This post is dedicated to #TreeTuesday initiated by @old-guy-photos. Do your part for Mother Earth! Plant a tree today. Or tomorrow. Or today. Yes. Today.
Do you have a dream, where blue is warm and the tree is not bare?
Do you?
Do you have a dream?
Will we enter this space, this place so blue
Where the colors are warm
And the place is too?
Do yo you have a dream?
Trees are vital to our existence
Hug a tree in thanks today
Or just hug a tree
He'll thank you
May there always be a flower blooming in your heart ❤️
The loveliness of you never escapes me
May I gaze upon you, always and a day?
I dream of the day when I can see you, hold your beautiful face with my hands and kiss those sweet, sweet lips that are mine. To touch the reality that has touched my heart…I roll over, and the moment takes its escape.
Again
The whispered words between the space
Embrace the wings of words unsaid
Not long enough and you were gone
My heart lay watching, from afar
No haste
To say goodbye
Secret intentions to part with grace
Vanishing yet, to another place
Leaving the words behind
This picture is for #TuesdayOrange #ColorChallenge by @Kalemandra. It just wouldn't be a day without a little color.
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Don't ever forget what wonderful world we live in, people. Let's hold hands around the globe and make this earth really spin. Some days, it is not as easy to see, so we must try harder to give everyone the proper focus.
Later that night
I held an atlas in my lap
Ran my fingers across the whole world
And whispered,
"Where does it hurt?"
It answered,
"Everywhere"
"Everywhere"
"Everywhere"
- Warsan Shire
This was not just at Arlington cemetary but was 'Wreaths Across America' at many military cemetaries. My twin brother is buried at Fort Rosecrans, San Diego, Ca. and got a wreath on Dec. 15. I believe 2400 cemetaries were involved. It was very economical to order a wreath for your veterans. My sister in law was very grateful for the beautiful wreath on my brother's grave. I will make sure he has one every year from now on. I just learned of it this year.
That is true. All of the Military Cemeteries get them. I only mentioned Arlington because I was there. In the post that I had done about the laying of the Wreaths, I had given the whole story. They have been doing it for years and they have been covering every grave at Arlington for a few years now. They used to just cover sections.
I am sorry for your loss. Please accept my heartfelt condolences.
There was no ill intent in only mentioning Arlington.
I felt no ill intent. Thank you for your condolences. I just visited their page and is 1600 cemetaries. I am proud and happy to find out about it this year and want to spread the word so everyone knows. My exwife ordered a wreath for my brother and her father who just passed 6 months ago. My brother got a wreath but her Dad did not. At the other cemetaries the wreaths must be ordered but are only $15, what a deal. I am really happy to find out about this. Thanks so much for spreading the word.
As part of the military community, I find it an honor to be able to be a part of this. There is much opportunity to be involved here as we have 7 bases/forts and many hospitals and VA homes... plus Walter Reid Medical Center.
I spread as much of the word about things as I can.
Wow, I never thought about how much work it would be to pick the wreaths up and yes I might shed a few tears picking them up myself!
I am sure you would... This year, it was rainy and cold, so it was a much brisker operation than usual. And snow. Slush really. So, the tears could also have been from cold, wet feet.
No kidding.
It is a sometimes hard job to do, especially if you know people buried in there.
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Oh my what lovely trees and such amazing words. Both are so fine and I love them equally.
Thank you. You always leave the nicest words behind.
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To me, that would be very heart-wrenching indeed, to take the decorations down, and in the cold and stark sky and snow-would amplify it quite a bit. It is wonderful people put them up, to honor our fallen, and yet the removal would be another step of grief, I think. I really felt that one when you showed this imagery and your writings. Then your prose hit home even more. Reminded me of family that have all gone before me. Thanks for the feelings of remembrance and appreciation for what people have gone through before us. Your poetry is always so spot on, and often very emotional in many directions.
Ah, hugging a tree, I've done so to many in my day. Though today there are a bit wet...but I shall still strive to go forth. As for dreaming of warm, yellow-lit trees, that one is not hard. The cold blue and stark trees make me feel cold, and a nice warm tropical version I can conjure forth quite easily, as I sit by my little writing heater. Oh, the small joys of life. Thanks for another post with many things to see and think about.
Yes! I can not say it any better than this!
Heart-wrenching and gratifying all in the same breath. Does that make sense? I am honored and grateful to be able to physically be able to do this service for my soul.
Sometimes, I can really feel the grief, but, then again, but, then I remember that I should be grateful that I am able to feel anything. To feel nothing would make light of their sacrifice, in my eyes anyway. They gave the ultimate sacrifice. I can tell you that I have shed many tears in that Cemetery. So many.
Oh, you are still running around hugging trees! You cannot fool me. One a hugger, always a hugger. I will be hitting the tropics in a little over a week and honestly, I am more than ready. Turn that little heater up, baby, I'm coming!!!
Simple joys are the best kind, aren't they? Heated sheets on a cold winter night. Coffee made for me. Waking to a roaring fire. A smile across a crowded room. Fresh sheets. The smell of a baby. Oh, the simple things are always best.
Thanks for stopping by, DD! @ddschteinn You are always a joy!
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It is so good of them to do that to honor those who gaves their lives for us all they have my upmost respect
and great shots for tree Tuesday, I knew I had forgotten something today :( Ohh well next week I better remember it hopefully the Old Man will not notice I missed it this week
I don't think he got his up yet! :))
It is a pleasure and honor to do this, but, I cannot even begin to tell you how cold it was (and raining!!!) on the day we picked them up! :( That is why I didn't bring the camera that day.
I knew you would be one doing this, your such a caring and thoughtful person an inspiration to us all
More the fact that how can I live so close and not honor those that gave it all so that I could be free? How do you ever give enough thanks for that?
I don't think you ever can.
I feel exactly the same way, but sadly these days there are so many who would not even give a thought to joining you and the others to do this
I cannot even tell you how many funerals I have had to attend there while crossing picket/riot lines. :( I was actually horrified that anyone would try to stop me from being at a funeral for someone I loved.
That of course was for a while... I heard the stories from uncles who were spat upon when coming home from Vietnam. What kind of world do we live in?
OMG thats terrible I had not heard of that and I am totally disgusted that anyone would do something so senseless, thoughtless and uncaring
The fact that people feel that is the right thing to do shocks me even though I know it happens all to much these days
See here JJ! @tattoodjay
How would you like to be buring someone and have that happen. I just pulled random images as opposed to the funerals, but it happened and it happened alot.
And it makes me so sad inside. It is not enough losing someone? Putting up with protesters screaming killer puts the frosting on the cake.
They haven't done it in a while, so thank God for small favors.
Thank you @pixresteemer!
"Do your part for Mother Earth! Plant a tree today. Or tomorrow. Or today. Yes. Today."
Beautiful photos and even more beautiful message :) Btw, talking about tree planting, do you know about @treeplanter? I love this project :)
Yes!!! I love @treeplanter! Such a worthy project! And thank you so much, one tree hugger to another. ;)
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Hello, my dear.
Like always your post is full of respect and beauties :)
I am so glad to read your articles. Unfortunately, I am very busy. We are trying to settle down and have just started our new hobby ;) However, we do not stop thinking about new trips but for now, we just postpone just for a little bit ;)
Big hug and take care
Did I miss where you are settling? It is always good to get life figured out and then the fun comes later. I will be gone for a few weeks February 1st and I can hardly wait to just go!! :)
Hugs and love! New Hobby???
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NO, you didn't miss anything, I didn't inform about it. I got to you and just a couple close friends here to a little explanation that we are looking for a "nest", I think is time to settle down :) so a lot of work in front of us.
Greetings my dear :)
Ohhh! A nest!!! Should I be congratulating you?
I await hearing all about your new adventure and you two are so adorable the way you feed out so little and make it very exciting to hear news! So good to hear from your Margaret! @margaretwise
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Such beautiful words for all them brave soldiers who gave there lives for the sake of freedom for their country it always saddens me why any of this even had to take place but it's the world we live in , why can't everyone just get along :)
As long as there are people, there will always be war. :(
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This is true it's unavoidable ....hey @beautifulsunday is still waiting for you i am trying to keep all them flowers alive just for you because you requested flowers and i flew all the way to north of Thailand to bring you flowers....lol :)
I am soooo slow, but, I eventually get there!
And you always get there and that's what i love about you and amongst other things of course :)
Well honestly, my slow self is because I have been busier than usual but steemit happens to be one of my favorite pastimes.
I do hope you keep it as your favorite pastime because we would all miss you been here :)
Hi, Denise! I'm trying to accommodate with my phone application. It's morning here and we expect to start a snow announced. Until then I'm enjoying your photos. They made me a beautiful morning.
Hi, Dan! How are you liking the app? I was meaning to ask you if you are having any trouble with it or if it is running smoothly?
Thank you and enjoy all you want! The admission is free!
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The phone application, the latest version, does not work well yet. I use and like the eSteem Surfer, which is for desktop or laptop (for which I sent you the download link)
Yes! Which I have not done yet. Perhaps when I am not working one day. :)
You can try anytime, of course!
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Thank you!