This weekend, I spent an afternoon on the Riverwalk and snapped this photo of the Chicago Remembers Vietnam Veterans Wall.
I've been haunted by it ever since. First of all, because I must have passed it about a gazillion times without every really looking at it. If Joanna and I had been here on any other sunny Saturday, I bet I would have heedlessly passed it again.
And then there are the number of names. 3,000. Think about that: 3,000 kids from Illinois alone died in Vietnam. And that doesn't include the veterans who came home only to succumb to Agent Orange or suicide. It makes me want to cry.
Here is a far more professional look at our Wall. From here on, I will look and appreciate.
These are the thoughts and observations of me — a woman of a certain age. (Oh, my, God, I'm 65!) I'm single. I'm successful enough (independent, self supporting). I live just outside Chicago, the best city in the world. I'm an aunt and a friend. I feel that voices like mine are rather underrepresented online or in print. So here I am. If my musings resonate with you, please visit my blog again sometime.
Thank-you for sharing that wall! It is a beautiful tribute. My Uncle died in Vietnam also. I posted a poem had had written while he was there. I always remembered seeing it as a kid, but we just found a copy of it at my mom's house. Happy Memorial Day!
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I've been invited to participate in a Vietnam Veterans ceremony in August--I think it's so important to honor the Vietnam vets, even if it's 50 years too late.
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