The Patriot Files Forums - Those We Honor

FOX - I had a good Memorial Day. I took my oldest Grand-Daughter with me to Memorial Day tribute in Munster, IN and we walked and talked about anything she had on her mind.

It was hot and she had her bottle of water, an umbrella and a little American Flag that I got her. The whole thing was she was now at an age where she was curious about asked why we have so many wars and why do we go into the service?.

Difficult questions - but I felt I would try to explain how every family suffers some losses at some time in their life. Keeping it simple was what I wanted to do and not to make her cry but to try to have her understand why we have Memorials like this.

The park is quite nice it was built about three years ago and has a trail all bricked and long the sides of the bricks you will find dates and in certain areas names in the bricks. Each exhibit has a special memorial to depict the era of its day. Casted statues and parts of cannons, men, and items of war making. At each memorial there are bricks with names and dates on them from those who have since been killed in that conflict or someone in their family has a brick made and installed to remember them.

Papa she said - is your name here - I said no. These are the true hero's. These are the men who gave up their lives so you and I could walk here and remember their sacrifice - to protect our way of life.

Papa she said - Why do we have wars? That's a good question I said - I'm not exactly sure Lily but some men are not as good as others and in some countries they hurt their own people and it's then when our country steps in to help those people who can not protect themselves against this type of men.

We stopped at the WWI memorial and she asked if anyone in our family was in that war I said yes your Great-Great Grand-Father - wow she was impressed.

WWII now and again she asked if anyone in our family had been in that war? I said Yes - your Great-Grand-Father (my Dad) and your Great-Uncle (my Dad's brother). (Both gone now).

Now the Koream Memorial - She asked again and I said no we didn't have any family members in that conflict. But it was a terrible war of which there were no winners. Why have a war if no one wins? I said those are the ones that everyone asks once they are over - let's move on.

Now the Viet Nam Memorial - she said this was your war Papa? I said yes along with my brother - your Uncle (she knows he died but now why - he died from complications to agent orange). This was another conflict of which there were no winner's and many men gave their lives for many years so that we could keep the bad men from coming over here into our country. It was more than she could absorb and I"m sure my wife would have killed me for giving her more information then she needed.

We went on to the Afghanistan and Iraq Memorials where more names were found on the bricks. Once more she knew a little about these conflicts since she does watch the television but still didn't know why we had to go there. I muddled my way through some reasons relating to our countries best interest - but I think it was not a good answer.

She found a brick that said 9/11 and said I know about that Papap and then she asked "does this mean the bad men are here in this country now?" Gosh Lily there is always that possibility that they could sneak into our country but I'm sure our soldier's are watching out for us and that you have nothing to worry about. (I left it at that as I really didn't have a good simple way of telling her our lives have all changed from that day on).

It was a very hot day and she was getting tired but we did complete the walk and then headed for the car. She said - thanks Papa for taking me here. Next year can I go with you again? I said sure I'd be proud to have you with me - anytime.

I went home and I sat down and thought about our little discussion - I just wish I'd prepared myself better - I worry I could have given her a bad impression or made her feel insecure? What could I have done differently?