on this day...

[lagilman]

Coming out of the supermarket yesterday, an older gentleman was selling paper Rose of Sharon flowers for Veteran's Day. I asked him how much? "We like to ask for a dollar," he said, with a weary sort of optimism. I had exactly two dollars to my name. I gave him both, and thanked him when he tried to thank me.

It's not about the flower. It's not even about giving their fund money. It's about letting them know they're not forgotten.

Comments

[jongibbs.livejournal.com]

Hear, hear :)

[klingonguy.livejournal.com]

Damn straight.

[bentleywg.livejournal.com]

Agreed.

(btw, I'm missing the reference. I know about wearing poppies on Veterans' Day, but I hadn't heard about wearing Rose of Sharons.)

[lagilman]

Rose of Sharon is the official flower of South Korea, and is used to specify a veteran of the Korean war. It's actually a hibiscus, I think.

[jperceval.livejournal.com]

Good on you!