Memorial Day

So I know I haven't posted anything in a couple of weeks and that's because of RL events.  Between Mother's Day, housing inspections (required in the apartments I reside in), work, and school, I've almost run myself ragged.  So, first, a very late Happy Mother's Day to my mother readers, whether they are biological, lawfully adopted, claimed, feathered, two-legged or more, mothers have helped shape the very creatures they've raised.  My husband got me a yellow iris to celebrate it seeing as we have our almost six year old dog.  Such a good girl, usually.

So, this past week were season finales of both The Voice and DWTS (Dancing with the Stars).  I meant to put up reviews and my personal views seeing as there were numerous members in the cast that I had hoped would make it through very far (only one did), but it was fun to watch.  On The Voice I wasn't drawn to any voices like in some of the past seasons since Gwen Stefani was first on in Season 7.  As I mentioned there were a few notables since then in my opinion.  Taylor John Williams, Mia Z, and YouTuber Kota Wade are only a few.  Season 10, however, was a let down.  At least, originally, it was.  But as I listened to the episodes, two became stand-outs in my mind.  I thought they chose the perfect coaches to drag the potential out of them.  Laith Al-Saadi and Hannah Huston have admirable voices, once they let them shine.  Neither one won.  Instead, finally a female coach had one of her team members.  Congratulations, Christina, on having an admirably chosen contestant.

DWTS Season 22, on the other hand, hosted Kim Fields, who I loved in Facts of Life, but my favorite wasn't Tootie (I could never decide between Blair and Jo); Jodie Sweetin, who played Stephanie Tanner in Full House (DJ was on a previous season, so now I'm wondering when Kim Gibbler is going to join the DWTS contestant family...makes an interesting parallel, doesn't it?); and Nyle DiMarco, who won Season 22 of America's Next Top Model (and he's deaf, if you hadn't learned). I was rooting for all three of these contestants, only Nyle made it to the finale.  To be completely honest, I thought it would be awesome and a bit ironic, though I may not be using that word appropriately, if he won another season 22 reality show.  Nyle did win. It let's me have a wonderful weekend coming up,

Speaking of the weekend, this weekend is extended in the United States to include Monday.  The reason?  It's Memorial Day Weekend.  Even though my husband and I will be taking a short, well-deserved vacation this weekend, he is a veteran (disabled before ever seeing beyond BCT) and every generation in my family tree that I've managed to trace including myself (though I had an other than honorable discharge...really don't wish to go into that.  It should be a general discharge now) has had military personnel somewhere.  I've managed to trace one line back to the Revolutionary War, which they managed to move inland, (over the mountains) before the war officially started by a few years, I think....I'm not looking at the information currently, so I could be wrong about the dates.  We'll take the time to honor those who fought for what they believed in or joined up to avoid war but managed to change themselves around, or really any military personnel who died in battle.  Some were mothers or fathers, brothers or sisters, but every single soldier, sailor, marine or airman was someone's child.  Some lives were cut short.  Others survived so damaged they couldn't reintegrate (One of my great-uncles died in the hospital believing he was still at war.).  No matter what they were or how they died specifically, Memorial Day is a day to honor and remember their sacrifices.  We take a few moments to honor them before truly honoring them by living life as I know they wanted future generations to do.

These people gave their lives so we could all live.  They didn't want their deaths seen as something bad.  The original soldiers remembered on this particular holiday were Union Soldiers, who died for what they believed in: a life of freedom for men no matter the color of their skin.  Obviously, and very much thankfully, humanity has changed to a more equal footing for all people, but not without a lot of hardship and lost lives.  It is sad.  I will not allow myself to disregard their sacrifices.  I will honor them in every way I know and for those who think that the parties and family get-togethers are not celebrating the fallen military personnel appropriately, I can only ask: How do you honor those who gave their lives so you could live free to make your own choices?