In Remembrance

I recently wrote a story titled "A Pittance of Time,". A story of my Vietnam experiences. That title was from a song composed and sung by a person named Terry Kelly. It was that song that inspired me to write that story.
There is not a day that has gone by in the past 40 years that I'm not reminded of the young man who died in my hands while crying out for his Mother with his final breath.
There are many people who have said and continue to say that we shouldn't have been involved in that war in the first place since it was a war that we couldn't win. I'd like to drop all of the would haves and should haves and remember the reality. We were there.
While even one is too many in any War there were thousands of young men killed in Vietnam. Many of them were drafted. Some of them were married, many of them had girlfriends but they all had Mothers.
My wife Janet, son David-Scott and I recently saw a movie titled "The Messenger". This movie depicted the way the next of kin were notified of their loved ones death. I'll speak for the Army but I'm sure it's the same with the other services.
They actually have what is called a casualty reporting unit. From that unit an officer and an enlisted man would go to the home of the next of kin to make notification. In doing so they would read or memorize from a prepared statement. This official statement reads in part. "The Secretary of the Army regrets to inform you that your son was killed in action in Vietnam, etc."
This is a policy that should be changed. There is no way the Mother of the 22 year old who died in my hands would have known that he was in no pain and that his final thoughts were of her. I am the only one who knew that and I don't even know his name.
In my personal life, I thank my God that I've survived another 40 years since that incident, and even though I have been stricken with Parkinson's Disease three years ago, that turned out to be a blessing in disguise. It forced me to give up alcohol and to begin writing.
I truly believe that I have been blessed. At the age of 72, I recently returned from Florida. While there, I visited my Mother and took her to dinner and watched a baseball game with her as we celebrated her 95th Birthday.
I dedicate this story to those mother's who lost a loved one and further to all Mother's in hopes that you may give a couple of minutes on your day in remembrance. Once again, It's just A Pittance of Time.

Spring (Continued)

She built her nest on our window sill
Up high in one little section
Located on top of one of the meters
Of our electrical conection

Soon we spotted three little eggs
In the middle of her nest
We watched as she was sitting on them
She seemed to need lots of rest

Now yesterday was Mother's Day
And also the middle of Spring
As we gaze into that nest today
What a wonderful feeling it brings

Those three little eggs are now three little birds
And they wait with their mouths wide apart
I watch as the Robin feeds them one at a time
And I feel a slight tug at my heart

So don't ever say that Spring passed us by
You really don't have to look hard
Just wait for the date and look for the Robin
Then look in your own backyard

Spring

Many have said Spring passed by us this year

Because of the Wintry weather

My wife and I will dispel those words

As we share what we've witnessed together

March 21st and the sight of a Robin

Always seems to make that connection

And despite the falling temperatures

This year would be no exception

On March 21st Janet spotted a Robin

That seemed to be building a nest

There was nothing not even the cold weather

To prevent her from seeking her quest

She flew past our window to the front of our house

Where she nestled in one of our trees

From there she carried the equipment she needed

To build her nest with such ease     To be continued