A Purple Heart, a Grieving Heart, & a Patriotic Heart
While I was presenting to a school on Veterans’ Day, I talked about the Purple Heart that George Washington initiated originally as the Badge for Military Merit. I am sure it is no accident that the medal is purple-because the colors of RED, WHITE, and BLUE mixed together turn a wonderful amethyst shade. As an American, I am so thankful we honor our brave soldiers who answered the call to serve our country. These thoughts, for me, always lead back to George Washington and the sacrifices he made in order to create our democratic Republic. I wondered what the General was doing on November 11th so I checked his diary entries (George Washington’s Diaries-An Abridgement by Dorothy Twohig, Editor) for the November after the October 19th victory at Yorktown. This battle was truly the most triumphant time of Washington’s military career and yet I found his diary abruptly ends on November 5, 1781. Why? On November 6th, he rushed to the side of his dying stepson, Jacky. Jacky had contracted “camp fever” at Yorktown where he had been a civilian aide during the siege. His sister, Patsy, had died years earlier when she was a young teen. Now Washington, at a time when he should have been exulting in his victory, was stricken with grief and trying to console his heartbroken Martha whose children had all died before her. It is with awe that I reflect on the losses the General suffered, his adherence to duty, and his indomitable will that carried him and our country to a successful revolution. When creating the “Purple Heart,” Washington ended the Order with,“The road to glory in a patriot army and a free country is thus open to all.” May we remember that, because of the sacrifices of our veterans, America is the Land of the Free.
