Hi there Greene,
I love genealogy as well. It was interesting to find that my great grandfather served in World War I. At any rate, yes, it is very sad for a family tree to stop right there and this was true for so many not just for the first World War but also for every war since. It is difficult to come to terms with. But, there are people who remember. Lots of people and that is why I feel it is so important to write these particular articles on Memorial Day because often, when we get caught up in the day to day, sometimes all that comes to mind is who will be making said potato salad at a barbecue while the topics of conversation revolve around how much of a bummer it is to return to work tomorrow or perhaps someone bragging they took the whole week off. Not in this house. We had a nice meal but we talked about things we were grateful for. I have a nine year old and I asked him what this day means and he explained it quite well. I am paraphrasing but essentially he explained that today is a day where we can be quiet and think about others who fought so I could be free.
At any rate, the for what is not necessarily to enjoy a picnic or beg Aunt Ginny for her delightful potato salad recipe but rather to remember that there are those who paid the ultimate price so that maybe a few wrongs in the world could be corrected. That in turn provides hope and perhaps gratitude. That gratitude then evolves into a happiness that allows to enjoy the day with a barbecue among friends but also I would like to hope a conversation or two about why we have this day.
