Do any of us actually reach our final destination? I hope not, as even in our passing or final resting place, I can only hope that our purpose will continue to live on and inspire others. As we come into Memorial Day Weekend and I think of our fallen men and women that have given their lives for our country, I can only find it fitting that today is the 81st Anniversary of the RMS Queen Mary’s first international crossing from Southampton to New York. A year ago, I shared my amazing experience as a guest for her 80th Anniversary Celebration of this iconic maiden voyage and this blog is inspired by the social media posts that I am seeing to remind me of such a glorious weekend.
However, my viewpoint of this day, this weekend is more vast then I originally ever credited and I feel the need to share my thoughts with you. This ship holds a special place in my heart for many reasons and in getting to know her, I most admire her service to this country during WWII. In my research, I agree with Sir Winston Churchill that laid claim to his opinion that had it not been for her continued transports of troops we may not have won that war. This December will be the 50th anniversary of Queen Mary’s final docking in Long Beach, Calif.
However, I do not find this to be her final destination because her journey continues in educating the masses in world history. She unfortunately had the military honor of bringing men that may not have been able to walk themselves down the gangplank as they reached home soil, but their story was not over….. for their final destination gave birth to a story to be told for history. Their lives mattered, so much so that we continue to celebrate their lives and sacrifice today.
The books and movies that we read or view don’t give justice to all that they encountered, but they do give us hope and should encourage us to strive for greatness in all that we do. In actuality what comes to my mind is the Core Values that were instilled within me as a member of our Armed Forces and I hope to Inspire in Others …Integrity first, Service before self, and Excellence in all we do. These are the Air Force Core Values.
What it breaks down to is that the journey is never over. Little by little, Step by step, Move forward, Always move forward…… Reach that Goal, That Destination, but don’t ever stop, for once you recognize that the Journey is never over… you will realize that it was never about you in the first place. Our lives exist for our future generations. Leave a good Legacy and appreciate the lives that have journeyed before you.
My mission is to Fly, Fight, and Win. I am faithful to a Proud Heritage, A Tradition of Honor, And a Legacy of Valor. I am an American Airman. Guardian of Freedom and Justice, My Nation’s Sword and Shield, Its Sentry and Avenger.
airman’s creed – AF.mil
