Archive for the ‘Sacrifice’ Category

Growing our future heroes

Sunday, August 26th, 2018

mccain

With the passing of John McCain, we have lost the best example of service and courage.  He served the United States of America faithfully for sixty years.

In reading the memorials, there was a recurring theme that I felt would be best represented in a word cloud.

In John McCain’s own words…

“It is your character, and your character alone, that will make your life happy or unhappy.”  ― John McCainCharacter Is Destiny: Inspiring Stories Every Young Person Should Know and Every Adult Should Remember

“We are taught to understand, correctly, that courage is not the absence of fear, but the capacity for action despite our fears.”
― John McCain

“Nothing in life is more liberating than to fight for a cause larger than yourself, something that encompasses you but is not defined by your existence alone.”
― John McCainFaith of My Fathers: A Family Memoir

When asked what he hoped people would say about him when he’s gone, John McCain simply said, he “hoped they would say he served his country…and he served it honorably”.

For us, three questions:

  1. Are we teaching our children values that matter?
  2. Are we giving our children so much, that they don’t think of service to others?
  3. Are we growing our future heroes; are we growing the next John McCain?

Senator McCain, you have served your country very well, and we thank you for your service. Senator McCain as well as many Americans dedicated body and soul to their country, and you who feel you are in the hole without being able to achieve something successful, not only that, you also have bad credit, your only hope is a loan for bad credit, get it and with the money make a better country.

Tina Nocera, Founder

Parental Wisdom®

#JohnMcCain

 

The beauty of a hug

Monday, November 18th, 2013

 

 

Most likely you have seen the news clips…a soldier returns from combat to his surprised family as you reach for the tissues.

Let me share what is like when hundreds of soldiers return to their families when the element of surprise is removed.  The Army band plays as the large screen projects images of the soldiers while they were away and the picture the soldiers received of their families back home.  Homemade welcome home posters can be seen in the stands and little children wearing My Dad is Home t-shirts run around Veterans handing out flags.

Months of anticipation and worry brought us all to this day.  In the crowd, moms hold babies born after deployment and toddlers too little to know let alone remember their deployed parent.  If parenting is tough with two parents, how difficult is it when one parent is unreachable and in combat?  But what the families have been through is nothing compared to what these soldiers have been through.

Then the greatest sound in the world…the siren of police escorts as the buses arrive.  The soldiers march in formation as the band plays. The Chaplin says a prayer of gratitude for their safe return; the commander thanks the soldiers for their service in what could be the shortest speech in history.  The families are waiting for his closing statement which is…find your soldier!

The best pictures are the ones not taken because we are all so focused on the joy of the moment that no one cares about taking pictures.

And you realize the only gift that matters is a hug.  So much to be thankful for!

Enjoy the holiday season.

Tina Nocera, Founder

Parental Wisdom®

 

 

 

 

 

 

We need another hero

Sunday, May 26th, 2013

The only ones among you who will be really happy are those who will have sought and found how to serve.

Albert Schweitzer

We took a trip to Gettysburg when my son Michael was in middle school and a Civil War reenactor. With his commentary, we walked Picket’s Charge and learned so much more than facts you learn in school.  He explained how we lost a generation of good young men that would have been husbands and fathers.  That profound loss and sacrifice reinforces the point that Memorial Day is about understanding, remembering, and paying respect to those that served our country and paid the ultimate sacrifice so the rest of us could enjoy our freedom.

Unlike the song, we don’t need another hero, we always need heroes. 

On this Memorial Day, I want to thank my son, serving the US Army in Afghanistan along with all those serving, and thank their families as well.  To walk in their shoes, much like the way we walked Picket’s Charge, is a good way to understand.

Here are some youth group organizations that salute military opportunities:

  • National Middle School Cadet Corps – a program is designed to introduce middle school students to responsible leadership roles while serving as a bridge facilitating a smooth transition into high school.
  • Young Marines – a youth education and service program for boys and girls, ages 8 through completion of high school. The Young Marines promotes the mental, moral, and physical development of its members. The program focuses on character building, leadership, and promotes a healthy, drug-free lifestyle. The Young Marines is the focal point for the U.S. Marine Corps’ Youth Drug Demand Reduction efforts.
  • U.S. Army Cadet Corps – following the emphasis on youth development which has been targeted by the Department of Defense, the U.S. Army Cadet Corps utilizes the spirit, traditions, and models of the U.S. Army to further the development of America’s youth.  The development of body, mind, and spirit are the key elements of this program.  These elements are stimulated through close order drill, precision military formations, physical fitness, martial arts, and the privilege of wearing an Army uniform.  Skill areas include instruction in both basic military and high adventure training, such as Rappelling and Mountain Climbing; Map, Compass, and Land Navigation; Marksmanship and Weapons Safety; First Aid and Water Survival; and Scuba Diving.  Instruction is given in both classroom and hands-on environments.
  • Civil Air Patrol – Cadets fly, learn to lead, hike, camp, get in shape, and push themselves to new limits. If you’re dreaming about a career in aviation, space, or the military, CAP’s Cadet Program is for you.
  • U.S. Army Junior ROTC – Providing a quality citizenship, character, and leadership development program, while fostering partnerships with communities and educational institutions.
  •  U.S. Naval Seal Cadets – Through organization and cooperation with the Department of the Navy, to encourage and aid American youth to develop, train them in seagoing skills, and to teach them patriotism, courage, self-reliance and kindred virtues.

The picture at the beginning of this post is Michael as a little boy celebrating the return of our troops from Operation Desert Storm in Nutley, NJ in 1992.

Have a wonderful Memorial Day, and be sure to thank a solider for their service.

Tina Nocera, Founder

Parental Wisdom®

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Participating in Operation Gratitude

Wednesday, November 10th, 2010

Please join me in expressing gratitude and thank all the veterans of all wars for their great service and tremendous sacrifice to our Nation.

Here is an incredible video to remind us that Veteran’s Day is not about sales, but sacrifice.

I Fought For You

If you want to do something for those serving our country, visit Operation Gratitude.

Again, thanks to all veterans, past and present, especially my son Michael and his buddies serving in Iraq.

Tina Nocera, Founder

Parental Wisdom®