Today is National Candle Lighting day for our fallen servicemen. This is an event started by and sponsored by from the Warfront to the Home Front. All that is being asked is to light a candle in memory of all the fallen soldiers from the Revolutionary war to the present day. It began at 12AM and continues until 12AM tomorrow. I will be participating. I think it is a wonderful gesture. I especially like the idea that it is basically a private thing. What I mean is, there is no public display. That ,to me, strikes at the heart of the matter. We should do these things from our hearts and as a sincere tribute, not as a " everyone else is doing it " type of thing. Doing something for appearances sake. All too often the true meaning of the moment is lost in the celebration or ceremony. And so today I will light a small candle and keep it burning .
I have done much work on my family tree and discovered many who served. I have also been fortunate in that all that I know served, returned home. I know that many thousands did not. It is those that did not return that we are thinking about today. I would add, especially those that never returned to their home soil. How many lie in foreign ground ? So many left unvisited and forgotten. It was their sacrifice that retained our freedom. That their mortal remains should not have been brought home saddens me. I light my candle to show them the way.
A few weeks back, for no particular reason, I built a small stone fireplace. It was just a project I had in mind and thought to give a try. When I was building this I hadn't heard of this National Candle Lighting day. Looking at the fireplace I have built, and with this day in mind, I was reminded of an old familiar term, Hearth and Hone. What images does that phrase conjure up ? For me it is a brick fireplace at the end of the room. On each side of that fireplace where shelves, shelves holding books and the usual bric a brak. I remember popping corn in that fireplace and warming myself on a winter day. What image would those fallen soldiers see where it their Hearth and Home ? That is what this day is going to mean to me. A silent introspection and remembrance. Not sadness, but reflection. An appreciation. Welcome home boys, I'll build a fire for ya.
I have done much work on my family tree and discovered many who served. I have also been fortunate in that all that I know served, returned home. I know that many thousands did not. It is those that did not return that we are thinking about today. I would add, especially those that never returned to their home soil. How many lie in foreign ground ? So many left unvisited and forgotten. It was their sacrifice that retained our freedom. That their mortal remains should not have been brought home saddens me. I light my candle to show them the way.
A few weeks back, for no particular reason, I built a small stone fireplace. It was just a project I had in mind and thought to give a try. When I was building this I hadn't heard of this National Candle Lighting day. Looking at the fireplace I have built, and with this day in mind, I was reminded of an old familiar term, Hearth and Hone. What images does that phrase conjure up ? For me it is a brick fireplace at the end of the room. On each side of that fireplace where shelves, shelves holding books and the usual bric a brak. I remember popping corn in that fireplace and warming myself on a winter day. What image would those fallen soldiers see where it their Hearth and Home ? That is what this day is going to mean to me. A silent introspection and remembrance. Not sadness, but reflection. An appreciation. Welcome home boys, I'll build a fire for ya.
 |
| For Hearth and Home |
No comments:
Post a Comment