Allan, I hope you are taping your mom's stories; I know you have the equipment.

I used to say my uncle survived Guadacanal, wounded and in a foxhole for what seemed forever; kept in New Zealand, in hospital, for a year before they felt it was safe to move him home. Carried shrapnel near his heart all of his life. I consider him a casualty/victim now, as we know he killed himself with a shotgun in 1990 or '91, can't remember, as a direct consequence of what he saw, did, and suffered from WWII.

While I agree it is important to always remember those who have served and that children do need to learn about our history, I do have to say I wish there were some way for history to focus on more than war. I know it does to some extent, but it seems whenever there is something on television or in books, etc. the defintitive timelines which history is measured by are wars and other tragedies. Please know, I mean no offense, it just makes me sad that humankind measures the majority of its history in this way. I hope we can reach a time when disputes can be settled peacably and there will be no need for such sacrifice as my uncle's.

Respectfully,

kat