jim caldwell elusive image photography - SE Members Blog post - syndication express
2024-03-29T12:42:18Z
https://syndicationexpress.ning.com/profiles/blogs/feed/tag/jim+caldwell+elusive+image+photography
Welcome Home Dear Vietnam Veteran!
https://syndicationexpress.ning.com/profiles/blogs/seniorisms-by-lmw-my-tribute-to-you-dear-vietnam-veteran
2020-05-26T04:24:33.000Z
2020-05-26T04:24:33.000Z
Linda Michel White
https://syndicationexpress.ning.com/members/LindaMichelWhite
<div><p style="text-align:center;"><span style="font-size:18pt;"><strong> </strong></span></p><p style="text-align:center;"><span style="font-size:18pt;">Welcome Home</span></p><p style="text-align:center;"><span style="font-size:18pt;">Dear Vietnam Veteran!</span></p><p style="text-align:center;"><br /> <span style="font-size:18pt;"><strong> ***********************</strong></span><br /> <span style="font-size:18pt;"> My late husband inspired me to write the</span><br /> <span style="font-size:18pt;"> following poem as a tribute for all of the</span><br /> <span style="font-size:18pt;"> Vietnam Veterans who never got a</span><br /> <span style="font-size:18pt;"> Welcome Home when they came back</span><br /> <span style="font-size:18pt;"> from serving “In Country”. I had it</span><br /> <span style="font-size:18pt;"> copyrighted, two copies are in</span><br /> <span style="font-size:18pt;"> The Library of Congress because it’s</span><br /> <span style="font-size:18pt;"> been published, The Vietnam Veterans</span><br /> <span style="font-size:18pt;"> Motorcycle Club, took it to</span><br /> <span style="font-size:18pt;"> Washington D.C for Rolling Thunder.,</span><br /> <span style="font-size:18pt;"> & had a copy installed in</span><br /> <span style="font-size:18pt;"> The Smithsonian Institute, </span><br /> <span style="font-size:18pt;"> a copy has been put on display in</span><br /> <span style="font-size:18pt;"> The National Naval Museum at</span><br /> <span style="font-size:18pt;"> The Naval Air Station in</span><br /> <span style="font-size:18pt;"> Pensacola, Florida. </span><br /> <span style="font-size:18pt;"> Please do share this with any veterans</span><br /> <span style="font-size:18pt;"> that you may know who would like a</span><br /> <span style="font-size:18pt;"> copy, and please do leave a comment .</span></p><p style="text-align:center;"><span style="font-size:18pt;"><strong><span style="text-align:left;color:#000000;text-transform:none;text-indent:0px;letter-spacing:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;word-spacing:0px;white-space:normal;"><span class="input-prefix slugPrefix" style="border-width:1px;border-style:solid none solid solid;border-color:#cccccc;margin:0px;padding:0.5em;width:auto;text-align:left;color:#3b3b3b;text-transform:none;line-height:inherit;text-indent:0px;letter-spacing:normal;font-family:inherit;font-style:inherit;font-variant:inherit;text-decoration:inherit;word-spacing:0px;vertical-align:baseline;display:table-cell;white-space:nowrap;"><img id="image" style="text-align:left;color:#000000;text-transform:none;text-indent:0px;letter-spacing:normal;font-family:'Times New Roman';font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-weight:400;text-decoration:none;word-spacing:0px;display:block;white-space:normal;" src="http://www.agardenofmanyseeds.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/ERU9297.jpg" alt="ERU9297.jpg" width="388" height="582" /></span></span></strong></span></p><p style="text-align:center;"><span style="font-size:18pt;"><span style="text-align:left;color:#000000;text-transform:none;text-indent:0px;letter-spacing:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;word-spacing:0px;white-space:normal;"><span class="input-prefix slugPrefix" style="border-width:1px;border-style:solid none solid solid;border-color:#cccccc;margin:0px;padding:0.5em;width:auto;text-align:left;color:#3b3b3b;text-transform:none;line-height:inherit;text-indent:0px;letter-spacing:normal;font-family:inherit;font-style:inherit;font-variant:inherit;text-decoration:inherit;word-spacing:0px;vertical-align:baseline;display:table-cell;white-space:nowrap;">A place of quiet serenity</span></span></span></p><p style="text-align:center;"><span style="font-size:18pt;">Photo by my friend, </span><span style="font-size:18pt;">Jim Caldwell of<br /> <br /> <strong><a href="https://elusiveimage.net/" target="_blank">Elusive Image Photography<br /> </a></strong><br /> <strong><a href="http://fotobug.podbean.com/" target="_blank">Fotobug - Elusive Image Photography</a></strong><br /> <br /> <a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9014754285,RESIZE_584x{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}9014754285,RESIZE_584x{{/staticFileLink}}" alt="9014754285?profile=RESIZE_584x" width="234" height="332" /></a></span><br /> <span style="font-size:18pt;"><strong> ***********************</strong></span></p><p style="text-align:center;"><span style="font-size:18pt;"><strong><iframe src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/546234333" width="540" height="260" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe> </strong></span></p><p style="text-align:center;"><span style="font-size:18pt;"><a href="https://vimeo.com/546234333"><strong>Welcome Home Dear Vietnam Veteran</strong></a></span><span style="font-size:14pt;"><strong><br /> <br /> </strong><span style="font-size:18pt;">narrated by my friend, <br /> <strong><a href="https://vimeo.com/microdac">Microdac</a></strong> on <strong><a href="https://vimeo.com">Vimeo</a>.</strong></span></span></p><p style="text-align:center;"><br /> <span style="font-size:18pt;"> My Tribute to You Dear Vietnam Veteran!</span><br /> <span style="font-size:18pt;"> Your feelings run so deep,</span><br /> <span style="font-size:18pt;"> you’re so afraid to let them show.</span><br /> <span style="font-size:18pt;"> Life has hurt you more than most, yet you’ve survived blow after blow.</span><br /> <span style="font-size:18pt;"> Encouraged by your family, you did what was thought right.</span><br /> <span style="font-size:18pt;"> You joined the U. S. Armed Forces Team, caught in the patriotic fight.</span><br /> <span style="font-size:18pt;"> You soon learned all too late, there were no morals over there.</span><br /> <span style="font-size:18pt;"> But you fought the fight anyway, for a government that didn’t care.</span><br /> <span style="font-size:18pt;"> You were taught how to survive, and you learned your lessons well,</span><br /> <span style="font-size:18pt;"> For you had to catch on quickly to survive your time in hell.</span><br /> <span style="font-size:18pt;"> Importance was placed upon you, a kind you’d never known.</span><br /> <span style="font-size:18pt;"> Not by chance, but sense of duty, you took the fight to be your own.</span><br /> <span style="font-size:18pt;"> Earning medals and honors for a way of life accepted</span><br /> <span style="font-size:18pt;"> By those who had no fear of death, and those who’d been selected.</span><br /> <span style="font-size:18pt;"> Sweet innocence was lost forever, replaced by guilty feelings.</span><br /> <span style="font-size:18pt;"> Justified madness ruled the land, and left all people reeling.</span><br /> <span style="font-size:18pt;"> Known to be, “In Country”, too much to comprehend.</span><br /> <span style="font-size:18pt;"> No one should have to bear this. It’s too hard to understand.</span><br /> <span style="font-size:18pt;"> You learned to hide that sweet young soul, and some became addicted</span><br /> <span style="font-size:18pt;"> To alcohol, and drugs, then reason was evicted.</span><br /> <span style="font-size:18pt;"> Thought to be a sense of duty, was fueled by pride and lust,</span><br /> <span style="font-size:18pt;"> ‘til all was lost that you’d been taught, even, “In God We Trust”.</span><br /> <span style="font-size:18pt;"> How could He be somewhere that killing was encouraged?</span><br /> <span style="font-size:18pt;"> What a sense of being all alone, not hard to get discouraged.</span><br /> <span style="font-size:18pt;"> Sweetness replaced by bitterness towards a disgusting human race,</span><br /> <span style="font-size:18pt;"> Loyalty to those held close in this God forsaken place.</span><br /> <span style="font-size:18pt;"> Fears became a way of life, unlike any others,</span><br /> <span style="font-size:18pt;"> Where a soul became childlike again, strangers became brothers.</span><br /> <span style="font-size:18pt;"> You carry it with you everywhere, all grief, and pain you hide,</span><br /> <span style="font-size:18pt;"> Afraid to share what happened there, just too much held inside.</span><br /> <span style="font-size:18pt;"> Please God, if you’re there, let people understand,</span><br /> <span style="font-size:18pt;"> Why I did those things expected to satisfy the greedy needs</span><br /> <span style="font-size:18pt;"> of leaders well respected.</span><br /> <span style="font-size:18pt;"> Fools they were until the end, they couldn’t cease what they’d begun.</span><br /> <span style="font-size:18pt;"> They left us all just devastated with a war we never could have won.</span><br /> <span style="font-size:18pt;"> They should try to make it up to you for all that you have lost,</span><br /> <span style="font-size:18pt;"> But that goal they’ll never reach, there’s just too high a cost.</span><br /> <span style="font-size:18pt;"> I’ll end this with the sweetest thought;</span><br /> <span style="font-size:18pt;"> you’re always in my prayers,</span><br /> <span style="font-size:18pt;"> And though your faith’s diminished, I know God always cares.</span><br /> <span style="font-size:18pt;"> He created keen sense, and skill that helped keep you alive.</span><br /> <span style="font-size:18pt;"> He helped you to develop these so that you could survive.</span><br /> <span style="font-size:18pt;"> I respect your strength, and courage, above the call of duty.</span><br /> <span style="font-size:18pt;"> I’ve never known anyone like you; you’re so very special to me.</span><br /> <span style="font-size:18pt;"> You never got a heroes welcome, like warriors in the past,</span><br /> <span style="font-size:18pt;"> Though the years have come and gone,</span><br /> <span style="font-size:18pt;"> I wish you welcome home at last.</span><br /> <span style="font-size:18pt;"> Better late than never, that you may heal more every day.</span><br /> <span style="font-size:18pt;"> This is only possible if you don’t let pride get in the way.</span><br /> <span style="font-size:18pt;"> It’s time to gain strength from those who care,</span><br /> <span style="font-size:18pt;"> and let them help you mend.</span><br /> <span style="font-size:18pt;"> You can heal if you’ll only reach out to those who try to understand.</span><br /> <span style="font-size:18pt;"> It’s time to be grateful for us who show we care.</span><br /> <span style="font-size:18pt;"> Be happy, and be thankful just to know that we are here.</span><br /> <span style="font-size:18pt;"> We appreciate all that you have sacrificed,</span><br /> <span style="font-size:18pt;"> and all that you have given.</span><br /> <span style="font-size:18pt;"> Let the turmoil end, put bloodshed behind,</span><br /> <span style="font-size:18pt;"> and get on with life and living.</span><br /> <span style="font-size:18pt;"> I make this offer to you, and hope that you will use it,</span><br /> <span style="font-size:18pt;"> For each of us involved will be the ones to benefit.</span><br /> <span style="font-size:18pt;"> There is love in this world, and it’s up to us to do our part,</span><br /> <span style="font-size:18pt;"> If you’ll just try, accept it, and give us a chance to warm your heart.</span><br /> <span style="font-size:18pt;"> Know in your heart that you are loved, and let these forsaken feelings pass.</span><br /> <span style="font-size:18pt;"> Please take comfort in this thought, and enjoy that you are truly home at last!</span></p><p style="text-align:center;"><span style="font-size:18pt;">My love and gratitude to you for always,</span><br /> <span style="font-size:18pt;"> Bill W., “Papa Duck” for your inspiration!</span><br /> <span style="font-size:18pt;"> Linda Lee Michel</span><br /> <span style="font-size:18pt;"> A/K/A</span><br /> <span style="font-size:18pt;"> Linda Michel White</span><br /> <span style="font-size:18pt;"> “Mama Duck”</span><br /> <span style="font-size:18pt;"> ©1996</span><br /> <span style="font-size:18pt;"> ***********************</span><br /> <span style="font-size:18pt;"> Please feel free to share this with any &</span><br /> <span style="font-size:18pt;"> all veterans who might like a copy…</span><br /> <br /> <span style="font-size:18pt;"> Signing off 'til next time this is,</span><br /> <span style="font-size:18pt;"> Linda Michel White</span><br /> <span style="font-size:18pt;"> LMW stands for</span><br /> <span style="font-size:18pt;"> "Like My</span><span style="font-size:24px;"> </span><span style="font-size:24px;">Weblog</span><span style="font-size:18pt;">"</span></p><p style="text-align:center;"><span style="font-size:18pt;"> Extraordinarily Happy Networker</span><br /> <span style="font-size:18pt;"> & Senior Blogger</span><br /> <span style="font-size:18pt;"><em><span style="text-decoration:underline;"> zonedfor12sc@gmail.com</span></em></span></p><p style="text-align:center;"><br /> <span style="font-size:18pt;">#welcome home vietnam veteran,# faith,#seniorisms by lmw</span><span style="font-size:18pt;"><span class="input-prefix slugPrefix" style="color:#3b3b3b;display:table-cell;font-family:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-style:inherit;font-variant:inherit;font-weight:inherit;letter-spacing:normal;line-height:inherit;text-align:left;text-decoration:inherit;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:nowrap;width:auto;word-spacing:0px;border-width:1px;border-color:#cccccc;border-style:solid none solid solid;padding:0.5em;margin:0px;"><br /> </span> </span></p></div>