“How important it is for us to recognize and celebrate our heroes and she-roes!” – Maya Angelou, writer and civil rights activist who received the 2010 Presidential Medal of Freedom.
My grandmother has always been one of my she-roes.
Born at the dawn of the twentieth century, she was like talking to a living history book. From World War I (the war to end all wars, which of course didn’t), to prohibition, the suffrage movement, the great depression, and World War II, she retold events that brought to life the people, places, and perspectives of those who lived more than half-century before my birth.
Beyond the simple retelling of events, her storytelling transported me to the sights, sounds and sensations of by-gone eras. I could smell the coal fires of what she called the ‘hobo camps’ where gifts of farm produce were delivered and cooked over coal scavenged near the railroad tracks.
Through her words, I could feel the grit of the ever-present dirt in the air of the storms of the dust-bowl era and feel the heart-swelling pride of the victory parades at the end of armed conflict tinged with deep regret over the lives lost on both sides.
My grandmother was the only person I knew who celebrated Armistice Day. Well, other people celebrated it. They just called it something different – Veterans Day.
First commemorated in 1919, Armistice Day marks the armistice signed between the Allies of World War I and Germany at Compiegne, France, for the cessation of hostilities on the Western Front of World War I. The cessation took effect at eleven in the morning—the “eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month” of 1918.
While the formal peace agreement was reached when the Treaty of Versailles was signed the following year, my grandmother taught me to pause on the 11th month, on the 11th day, at the 11th hour. Pause to remember that the cessation of conflict is worth solemn reflection. Reflection on what was accomplished, and at what cost. A price that was paid by the sacrifices of untold numbers; many with their very lives.
Commemorations of Armistice Day were initially focused on honoring the military dead of the First World War and the return to peace. The United States in 1954 changed the name to ‘All Veterans Day’ to include all veterans of armed services and later shortened the name to the ‘Veterans Day’ holiday we celebrate today.
The heroes and she-roes who served in times of war and in times of peace deserve our gratitude. As do the storytellers like my grandmother who stand a different kind of watch. A watch to ensure that the stories of times, places, people, and sacrifices made are not forgotten. That those hard lessons learned in conflict` are not doomed to be repeated due to societal amnesia. Or as American philosopher, George Santayana said, “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.”
My grandmother never wore a military uniform, but she taught me to respect those who did and to thank them for their service. So, for those readers who have answered the call to serve, thank you. I am grateful for the banner of freedom under which I live that your service helped or continues to help provide.
For those of you who lost friends, family members or loved ones in armed conflict, words cannot appropriately express our gratitude. But know that today, and always, the nation remembers. That I remember. Today, this 11th day of the 11th month at the 11th hour, your loved ones and their sacrifice will be in my heart, as will my she-roe, Grandma Petry, who taught me the value of learning history’s lessons and to honor those who served.
If you, or a veteran you know, need services and supports to continue living independently in the setting of your choice, reach out to the aging and disability experts at the Area Agency on Aging at 800-654-2810. We’d be honored to connect you to available resources to meet your needs.
Christine Vanlandingham is CEO of Region IV Area Agency on Aging in Southwest Michigan. Questions on age or independence services? Call the Info-Line for Aging & Disability at 800-654-2810 or visit areaagencyonaging.org. The Generations column appears each weekend in The Herald-Palladium.