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<center>*I salute you, my soldier. May you rest in peace. Rest in peace.*</center>

<center>*Happy Memorial Day! Memorial Day is a day for remembering and honoring military personnel who died in the service of their country, particularly those who died in battle or as a result of wounds sustained in battle. While those who died are also remembered, Veterans Day is the day set aside to thank and honor all those who served honorably in the military - in wartime or peacetime*</center>

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<center>"Being able to provide closure to family members as their loved one is laid to rest here at Arlington -- to be able to be a part of that, and to be able to offer the last measure of respect that the U.S. Army and our sister services can give to her departed heroes." </center>

<center>**The ultimate sign of respect for those who made the ultimate sacrifice.</center>**




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<center>*Paying homage to those who died while serving - or from injuries sustained while serving. May they rest in peace. Rest in peace. — at Arlington National Cemetery.</center>*

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<center>I cannot even *begin* to tell you how many times, how many, many times I walk this path in my life. Stopping and listening to the sound of silence. My heart is shattered from the lives lost and over time, has grown big again, knowing that most, if not all, would do it all over again. For me. For you.</center>
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<center>*Rolling Thunder participants all come together to pay tribute to the servicemen and women. Thousands of bikers rolled through the city on their motorcycles to show respect and say thank you to all of those who have served the country. Sadly it will be the end of a 31-year old tradition as The Rolling Thunder Ride for Freedom rides through Washington, DC for the last time today. It was started as a peaceful demonstration to advocate for prisoners of war and those who are missing in action. Last year, there were over 500,000 bikes. I cheered them on! How could you not? It cost over $200,000 to stage in 2018.  Rising costs and harassment from the Pentagon and Washington, DC have led to the decision of making this their last ride. In a statement to ABC News, the Pentagon said it was prepared to support the 2019 ride, but referred inquiries about the status of the 2020 ride to Rolling Thunder.  — at Arlington Memorial Bridge.*<center>

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A weekend of Rolling Thunder events began on Friday at 5 p.m. with a “Blessing of the Bikes” at the Washington National Cathedral. At 9 p.m. there was a candlelight vigil at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall. Pictures would have been almost sacrilegious at that point. It was a raw show of emotions, all these years later. I can relate. Time softens, but, doesn't take it away.*</center>

<center>*As of December 21, 2018, according to the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency, the number of U.S. Military and Civilian personnel still unaccounted for from the Vietnam War is 1,592. This was the whole point of Rolling Thunder*<center>

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<center>Each year on Memorial Day, there are literally thousands of veterans and their families that join their hearts as they come to The Wall to remember and to honor those who died while serving in the U.S. armed forces. Today there will be several keynote speakers at the  Memorial to deliver thought-provoking messages with a touch of patriotism.<center>
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I have no words for these personal expressions of gratitude. God Bless You, Harry. May you Rest in Peace. It is a sobering sight, yet somewhat inspiring to know that so many fought to protect their country and its freedoms. — at Vietnam Veterans Memorial.
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<center>*It was many years back that I came upon this memorial for the first time, this wall of strangers. I return to the wall, time and time again and quietly look over the 58,209 names inscribed. There is so much gratitude on my part, for their many sacrifices, for their enormous losses, for the chance to see, firsthand, in fact, the cost of war…. To count these names, not by the thousands that were up there, but to recognize them one by one by one. Who were these men? No longer strangers to me, for now, they are connected with a name… a person who went to high school, had a crush, had a wedding, maybe even a child. They lived, they loved, and they dreamed a dream. My heart goes out to the ones left behind and there is a much better understanding on my part of why so many tears had been shed against these black marble slabs.*</center>

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### <center>*The Wall has the names inscribed by the day of casualty. Beginning at the center/apex, the names start on the East Wall (right-hand side) working their way out to the end of that wing, picking up again at the far end of the West Wall (left-hand side) and working their way back in to the center/apex, joining the beginning and end of the conflict at the center. This according to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund.*</center>
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<center>*There have been people added to the wall, having sustained wounds in Vietnam from which they eventually perished. A decision is made regarding the circumstances of their death and their name is added. Service members who were repatriated the year prior have their status symbols changed.*</center>

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 <center>A *genuine* moment from the heart: “A salute to my hero.” True love has no real end.</center>
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### <center>And just like that, this day is over. Wherever you are, whatever you are doing, have a Happy Memorial Day and please, drink and drive responsibly. God Bless America.</center>
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https://ipfs.busy.org/ipfs/QmVzLUeBxZssEDCFJMoA5pkypqNkT7dDa2pFPDjrBSoDdm</center>
<center>Happy Memorial Day!
¸.•´¸.•♥*¨) 
(¸.•´♥ (¸.•´ ♥
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Many people confuse Memorial Day and Veterans Day. Memorial Day is a day for remembering and honoring military personnel who died in the service of their country, particularly those who died in battle or as a result of wounds sustained in battle. 

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<center>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5fgJykwl8jo<center>

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*<center>Savor its bouquet, the abundance within. Flowers. Always a flower to color my world. This flower is dedicated to #SundayPurple #ColorChallenge by @Kalemandra.</center>*

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<center>*Thank you for visiting my post 💖 Because of you, I come back to post again and again, I am encouraged by you, for the time you take to visit, comment or even upvote.  For all of these reasons, I am eternally grateful. Don't ever forget what a wonderful world we live in, people. Let's hold hands around the globe and make this earth really spin. Some days, it is not as easy to see, how wonderful it really is. Kindness counts. Wherever you go, whatever you do.*</center>

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### <center>I always post this poem down at the bottom of my posts. It is one that has become so near and dear to my heart. I only post the most famous part of it, but, wanted to post it in its entirety today.</center>

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<center>*they set my aunts house on fire
i cried the way women on tv do
folding at the middle
like a five pound note.
i called the boy who use to love me
tried to ‘okay’ my voice
i said hello
he said warsan, what’s wrong, what’s happened?*</center>

<center>*i’ve been praying,
and these are what my prayers look like;
dear god
i come from two countries
one is thirsty
the other is on fire
both need water.*</center>

<center>*later that night
i held an atlas in my lap
ran my fingers across the whole world
and whispered,
"where does it hurt?"
it answered,*</center>

<center>*"everywhere"
"everywhere"
"everywhere"*</center>

<center>warsan shire</center>
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