Here is a story just shared with me about : ~~~ Bluebirds and Memorial Day ~~~
I was stationed in Mannheim Germany back in the early 80's and was a flight engineer on Chinook Helicopters. The Helicopters were named after the Chinook Indians, a tribe from the northwestern part of North America. I spent one Christmas with a family from Germany while participating in a program where soldiers and German Citizens shared the holiday together.
I remember while enjoying this day with a Mother and her Daughter, I saw a photo of a soldier that appeared to be in what I thought was a uniform from WWII. The lady told me it was her Brother whom had fought in that war and that she had an interesting story to tell me about him. She told me one day just before he passed that he told her of a day he spent trying to help three American Soldiers who had been wounded badly and seemed separated from their unit somehow. He helped to dress some wounds on one of the soldiers while it was apparent two others had already passed away from the wounds they had suffered from an almost direct hit from a mortar attack.
Her Brother stayed with this one man waiting for a medical unit to arrive and take the man as a prisoner of war. In these situations you try to keep the injured awake and aware, and the wounded soldier started telling her Brother about what it was like when he lived in America. The American soldier was from somewhere in Illinois and how he had a small farm that he would put up birdhouses and watch the Bluebirds. Her brother told him he had remembered loving a favorite American tune that talked about Bluebirds and how wonderful they were. The wounded American told him how it was to watch such a wonderful bird.
The German womans eyes teared as she told the story, she said her Brother later found out the American Soldier had passed on, and he was so hurt because they had exchanged addresses because the German Soldier expressed a desire to see these Bluebirds that he had just heard about. She told me for years he did nothing but study about Bluebirds, and one day in the mid 50's he received a letter from a Son of the wounded and passed American Soldier.
The Son had the address and not about bluebirds that was found in the pocket of the soldiers uniform when delivered to the family. The Son for years wondered about the name and address. They talked by phone one day and the Son offered to pay for the German man and his Sister to come to America and meet his family, to tell them about the last moments of their Dad's life. When they arrived in America, one of the first things the German man wanted to know about was the Bluebirds. It was early May and of course the Bluebirds were beginning to nest in some of the boxes that were still there and monitored by the Son that his Dad had made. It was a complete circle of life that led this German man to understand why a dying American Soldier would in his last breaths of life while speaking of his family would tell of the Bluebird as well.
I had tears in my eyes as she told me of her Brother, and that's when I noticed all the items in her home that were Bluebird related. Her Brother had painted them, made bluebird boxes for decoration with little Bluebirds, the kind you would find in Easter baskets, and that when I noticed he had a box that had a picture of an American Soldier. That's him, said the Mother, the American Soldier, the family had given them a picture of him next to a birdhouse he had built and had a full nest.
I remember this story today, as I reflect on how a wonderful beautiful bird could inspire such wonder, even across the seas in a soldiers last breath of life.
Hope all have a great day.
Sincerely,
Michael(NC) aka Birdman Blue aka Blue Wonder Beyond
shared with DavesGarden friends with love on thhis Memorial Day 2009
Sheri aka BirdieBlue
Story about Bluebirds and Memorial Day
That's a wonderful story Sheri. Thanks so much for sharing it with us on this Memorial Day.
^_^
Loved the Bluebird story; it was wonderful! Thanks for sharing---
It's an emotional story, but it sounds like a 'story'. Before I buy in, I'd like some authentication. Sorry.
I enjoyed your story whether true or not. As the mom of a young American Army infantry soldier, I would hope for this kind of compassion for my son. Thank you for your tribute.