Ave Maria, Gratia Plena…

Soaring Spirits

The obelisk crowned with a kiwi has always captivated me. It stands proudly at the Skyview 5 Training Center, formerly known as Flagship University. This unique monument was placed by the Kiwi Club—a group of former and current flight attendants from American Airlines, its subsidiaries, and merged companies.

Over the years, I’ve come to admire the strong bond among flight attendants. They are a remarkably close-knit group, always looking out for one another and bringing an infectious sense of fun wherever they go. It seems fitting, in their playful spirit, that they chose a flightless bird to represent them—despite soaring through the skies like eagles themselves, always with a smile.

 

Firsts

Being the first to accomplish something takes courage, and I always appreciate when a company recognizes the moments they led the way—especially when their choices were once uncommon or even controversial for no good reason. Though not open to the public, the American Airlines Robert L. Crandall Campus features a sculpture honoring the many 'firsts' the company has achieved—a true point of pride for every AAer.

 

Washington Monument

The Washington Monument is one of the most iconic and recognizable landmarks in our nation’s capital. Built to honor George Washington, the first president and colonial general, this towering obelisk dominates the skyline of the National Mall. Standing at 555 feet, it remains the tallest stone structure in the world. Construction began in 1848 but was halted for decades due to funding issues and the Civil War, before finally being completed in 1884. Today, the monument serves as a powerful tribute to Washington’s leadership and legacy, drawing millions of visitors who marvel at its grandeur and historical significance.

 

House Divided

 Abraham Lincoln—the Great Emancipator, the steadfast guardian of unity, and the indomitable force who preserved the United States from the brink of self-destruction. With unwavering resolve, he bore the weight of a fractured nation upon his shoulders, paying the ultimate price for its salvation. Rising from the humble confines of a modest log cabin in Illinois, Lincoln ascended to become a towering figure of history, a man who, with wisdom and courage, stitched together the frayed fabric of a divided union. Today, as the nation once again finds itself frayed and fragmented, his legacy stands as a poignant reminder of the enduring strength required to mend what is broken and to forge a path toward a more perfect union.

"With malice toward none, with charity for all; with firmness in the right, as God gives us to see the right, let us strive on to finish the work we are in; to bind up the nation's wounds; to care for him who shall have borne the battle, and for his widow, and his orphan — to do all which may achieve and cherish a just, and a lasting peace, among ourselves, and with all nations."

~ Abraham Lincoln

Casting Crowns

Sometimes we fall and we lose what we thought was so dear and soon we have to find our way back to a place where we are comfortable.  Sometimes we find that what we lost wasn’t so great and we shrug it off and we rise above it and we find something so much better.

(About the Photo:  Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz was the wife of King George III of Great Britain and Ireland and she is who the city of Charlotte, NC was named for.   This statue that appears outside Charlotte-Douglas International Airport (CLT) appears to have her casting away her crown symbolically as the city itself once cast away its ties to Great Britain in the American War of Independence. )

Water Through Time

Water drips down the bottle, 

Slowly moving through time.

Time doesn’t slow, even for the lowly. 

Loneliness spreads like the water, engulfing my entire soul. 

Darkness takes it’s toll as the clock ticks on.

Time moves and doesn’t slow. The darkness drips into my very essence

Polluting my thoughts, and souring my dreams.

Time moves darkness flows, loneliness takes root.

I drip down the glass moving through time, wishing it would slow, but it never will, not for me… not for you… not for water.

In Honor

Sherman, TX

Monday is Memorial Day, a day to remember those that gave their lives in honor of this country of ours.   We must honor them and never forget the sacrifice that they gave us, and we must not forget the men and women currently sacrificing everyday for our country.   We do however tend to forget the foreigners that gave their lives for our values, let us also honor the men and women who gave their lives for our country, though it was not their country to serve

These memorials are from different places… though they are all similar they all share a common status, they honor men and women who gave their lives in the armed forces of various different wars and battles.

Meridian, MS

Brandon, MS

Natchez, MS

Echo Un-Silenced

The battle of Vicksburg was one of the most important strategic battles of the American Civil War.  After the battle, the dead counted;   the horrors of war cleaned away, the loss on both ends was staggering.  At the urging of the federal government, and the creation of the Vicksburg National Military Park the battlefield became a memorial.   Each state that had soldiers lost in the battle commissioned a memorial or memorials, all are grand in scale…  but few compare to the Illinois memorial, created to mirror the Parthenon in Greece.   

Silent Echo

Part of the Wordless Wednesday!!!!