Not Another Veteran's Day
Technically, Memorial Day is meant to honor the men and women who gave their lives in service for our country. While I personally think it is inappropriate to treat this day as another Veteran's Day, I believe it is fitting to honor those who served in the Armed Forces, but are no longer with us.
Bronze Star
Today, I choose to honor and remember one of my heroes, my maternal grandfather, Antonio G. Palacios. Everyone who knew him simply called him Pops. He was awarded the Bronze Star while serving in the European Theater during World War II. Pops never really talked to me about his time in the war until I too had joined the Army. I remember sitting in his back yard listening to his stories. I remember this as fondly as I do all the times he would take my brother Tony and I fishing. He was not just a war hero, he was my 'buelito Pops.
Mercy Hour
According to the Veteran's Administration, U.S. Congress passed and the president signed into law “The National Moment of Remembrance Act,” P.L. 106-579, in December 2000. This Act encourages everyone to stop what their doing and take a minute of silence at 3PM on Memorial Day to remember all the soldiers who have died in service to the nation. I don't think it is accident that the time chosen to recall the fallen soldiers is the Divine Mercy Hour. Instead of just taking a moment of silence, how about praying the Divine Mercy Chaplet for all the military families who have lost a loved one?
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