Archive for military

Appreciating Veterans Day from Manila, Philippines

On Veterans Day, the enormity of war speaks. Acres of marble crosses face modern Manila in the Philippines, forever recalling the sacrifices made by American soldiers and Filipino allies during World War II. I was born in the U.S. of Filipino ancestry, and this is a “roots” trip for me.  One powerful stop was the […]

Memorial Day: Elephants in the Cemetery

On Memorial Day, an elephant and her calf are shaded by trees as ducks and geese waddle by the pond at Milton Cemetery.  The life-size topiaries are covered in ivy, and the symbolism of their deep family bonds and long memories are the reasons for their art installation in this place of remembrance.  Elephants never […]

Healing Veterans in Nature: House in the Woods

[Photo from http://houseinthewoods.org – House In the Woods in Lee, Maine] All veterans were prepared for the ultimate sacrifice. They grieve for comrades lost, and too often, endure lifelong hauntings through PTSD. They endure disabilities and emotional scars. For all veterans, Paul and Dee House, along with Bill and Quie Emery, created a refuge amidst the […]

Memorial Day: Tender Attention Needed

  The dead have badges and I stop to read them: 1941 World War 1945, Women’s Relief Corps.147, The American Legion and more.  Small American flags flutter next to soldiers’ graves at the Milton (Mass.) Cemetery in preparation for Memorial Day. At a glance souls, long gone, wave across the acres, “Over here!” “I served!” […]