A Special Tribute for Veteran's Day!

The Old Town of Eaton Museum is celebrating Veteran's Day by giving a " shout out" to one of our own Douglas Chilson!  Doug a founding member of our museum as was his mother before him, served in Viet Nam and won the Purple Heart.  He has helped me put on a display this year on Nam and we salute him and all of the veteran's from our town and the USA.

I have included this piece I wrote before on the Maria Dolens.  Please read and share and also wait if you view the video at the bottom, as it take forever to get it to ring.

November 11, is .known as Armistice Day, later known as Remembrance Day in the Commonwealth and Veterans Day in the United States, it marks the armistice signed between the Allies of World War I and Germany at Compiègne, France,  for the cessation of hostilities.   I thought about the current wars. WWI was tagged..."The War to end all Wars".

I went online to find out what  has been said in the past...   Pope Francis...who signs everything just Francis…in his  New Years message a few years ago for the 48th anniversary of the Day of World Peace...he spoke in front of a screen that had the Maria Dolens bell ringing in the background.  The Maria Dolens? And so I was off on a history quest.

The Maria Dolens is the name of a bell that was cast from the bronze of many of the cannons - 19, one from each of the countries that participated in WWI.  It sits in Roverto, in today’s northern Italy and it rings 100 times each day in the evening to honor the fallen and to many to act  as a symbol for peace and an end to war.

The Bell was the idea of Don Antonio Rossaro,  called the Bell of the Fallen.  It was given the name Maria Dolens and placed on the Malipiero tower of Castello di Rovereto.  It has been recast many times because of fractures from ringing 100 times a day no doubt... but it has always been recast and returned to the tower where is nightly reminds the world of the price of war.  The latest recast was blessed by Pope Paul VI and on November 4^th, 1965 was placed on the Colle di Miravalle where it today rest above the city of Roverto.

On the bell, which is the second largest swinging bell in the world, were added at its recasting the statements of the Pontiff Pius XII "With peace nothing is lost. Everything is to be lost through war." John XXIII: "In pace hominum ordinata concordia et tranquilla libertas."

Today, as always, it rang 100 times at midday...in Italy as I am writing this..... just as it  was shown on the large screen in St. Peter’s square that day.

It is said that it tolls in the hope that Man, in the memory of the Fallen of every war and every nation in the world, may find the path that leads to Peace….

I say AMEN to that…! Sit and listen and think quietly...It is big it takes a bit or so to start ringing!

Thoughts on Veteran's Day, Words of Peace and Hope!

November 11, is coming up...known as Armistice Day, later known as Remembrance Day in the Commonwealth and Veterans Day in the United States, it marks the armistice signed between the Allies of World War I and Germany at Compiègne, France,  for the cessation of hostilities.   I thought about the current wars. WWI was tagged..."The War to end all Wars".

I went online to find out what  has been said in the past...   Pope Francis...who signs everything just Francis…in his  New Years message a few years ago for the 48th anniversary of the Day of World Peace...he spoke in front of a screen that had the Maria Dolens bell ringing in the background.  The Maria Dolens? And so I was off on a history quest.

The Maria Dolens is the name of a bell that was cast from the bronze of many of the cannons - 19, one from each of the countries that participated in WWI.  It sits in Roverto, in today’s northern Italy and it rings 100 times each day in the evening to honor the fallen and to many to act  as a symbol for peace and an end to war.

The Bell was the idea of Don Antonio Rossaro,  called the Bell of the Fallen.  It was given the name Maria Dolens and placed on the Malipiero tower of Castello di Rovereto.  It has been recast many times because of fractures from ringing 100 times a day no doubt... but it has always been recast and returned to the tower where is nightly reminds the world of the price of war.  The latest recast was blessed by Pope Paul VI and on November 4^th, 1965 was placed on the Colle di Miravalle where it today rest above the city of Roverto.

On the bell, which is the second largest swinging bell in the world, were added at its recasting the statements of the Pontiff Pius XII "With peace nothing is lost. Everything is to be lost through war." John XXIII: "In pace hominum ordinata concordia et tranquilla libertas."

Today, as always, it rang 100 times at midday...in Italy as I am writing this..... just as it  was shown on the large screen in St. Peter’s square that day.

It is said that it tolls in the hope that Man, in the memory of the Fallen of every war and every nation in the world, may find the path that leads to Peace….

I say AMEN to that…! Sit and listen and think quietly...It is big it takes a bit or so to start ringing!

Thanksgiving Pie Sale, World War I and Veteran's Day!

Winters cold has settled in for a bit with snow crystals making their debut this fall…strange how it seems to be imitating the World’s mood right now. Paris and all in Europe are celebrating Armistice Day, this year marking the 100th Anniversary of the end of the war touted as the "War to End All Wars", here we celebrate Veteran's Day. Many wars have come and gone since then, others still go on.

Meanwhile the radios are already blasting Christmas music and the stores have pushed their Christmas sales up to accommodate a crazy group of people who actually leave their family and Thanksgiving celebrations to haunt malls for deals on a day dubbed “Black Friday”... I am pretty sure the clerks that have to work aren’t happy or giving thanks for them.

When I was in retailing we were closed on Sunday and Holidays…CLOSED! 

Today we take for granted the ability to shop until we drop…but really should we?  I actually wonder if we ever as a collective society think about how lucky and wealthy we are.  By world standards even the poorest of poor here in the USA are better off than much of the world’s people.  

Our “Capitalistic society” has dropped most people into debt and into a stressful world of acquiring items we do not need and also forcing many to live up to the standards set by advertisers and by our neighbors who have this or that that is new and shiny.

So for this “Thanksgiving” I offer a suggestion.  For at least one minute of our day let us sit and reflect on the World, on our life, on our loved ones and above all on how lucky we are.  We have come along way from that first Thanksgiving day…but I fear we have long way to go until we can understand that for many just having a family that is alive, having some food of any variety to eat, having a roof over their head and some warmth, and having their health, is all that they need to be happy. Truthfully it should be enough for all of us.

Happiness is a simple thing that cannot be bought, cannot be acquired in a mall, but it can be shared and enjoyed in our hearts. So share the happiness you have with your loved ones and friends…sharing and caring in this cold world will make you feel all warm and fuzzy inside… but only if you are thankful for what you have.

PS Support your local community and if in our area come to our Eaton Museum Pie and Bake Sale on November 17th, to be old Auction Barn on Rt. 26 in Eaton..9 - 4pm....tons of pies and bake goods for a good cause... the Old Town of Eaton Museum.

Veteran's Day, my dad and the Patriot's Dream...

National Cemetery in Elmira, NY

 On Veteran's day I always think of my dad Captain Domenic J. Messere who was a veteran.   Dad served in so many different capacities that it is unbelievable to me.  He was an original member of the 27^th Infantry that was a Federal National Guard started in 1940.  He then was assigned to the 108^th regular Army Infantry and Signal Corps in Europe, and then he went on to the 1301 Engineers with Patton and still on to the Pacific being in Japan’s waters when the surrender was signed. 

When he came back to the states he returned to the National Guard again.. this time with the 208^th Tank Battalion serving as second in command of the Armory in Syracuse (This is the one I enjoyed)  eventually ending up in the Reitred Reserve attached to the 10th Mountain Division.

As a child I would go with him to when he visited the different Armories (Oswego-Rome-Oneida) when they had special occasions.  From his office in Syracuse I can remember looking down to the large room below and watching them drill and practice.

My favorite "Army" memory was the time my brother and I riding in a jeep with his Sargent driving ...at a parade in Syracuse where the Guard had set up communications…  We couldn’t believe we were in a jeep!

Dad also took us to Arlington Cemetery and this trip I will never forget.  Visiting the graves of men who had died some in battles he fought in.  Thousands and thousands of white markers in rows lying in the gleaming sun.

We saw the changing of the Guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldiers an occasion that brought tears and sadness to me.   To this day visiting a National Cemetery does the same thing.

Dad survived…but so many more didn’t.  600,000 died in the Civil War, thousands and thousands since… all in Wars to end all Wars, which of course can never end. 

It is human nature I guess.  People can’t get along with their associates or neighbors let alone with other countries and other cultures.

My dad’s ideas in spending time with us and in taking us traveling I think was not to make us rich… but to make us “Cosmopolitan”…  This word and view has been forgotten, but today it is a reality in our world that is shrinking because of media and fast transportation…Cosmopolitan – a person of the world – diverse – well traveled- cultured…  and understanding in depth the world around us not just our little corner of it.

Here is a video and a clip from a Gordon Lightfoot song I have always wanted to do a video of..maybe I will some day.. 

The songs of the Wars are as old as the hills, 

they cling like the rust on the cold steel that kills

they tell of the boys who went down to the tracks...

in a Patriot manner with the cold steel on their backs..

Listen to the words...it is a trilogy of sorts so follow it to the end..written during the Viet Nam era..it is a treasure telling the truth..straight out..not a protest...