Tag: remembrance

Remembering Pearl Harbor

by Mershon Niesner

Remember Pearl Harbor, never again. The Pearl Harbor motto.

On the morning of  December 7, 1941 there was a surprise military attack on Pearl Harbor, a U.S. naval base in Hawaii. The battle was the tipping factor that convinced the United States to enter into World War II.

As we come together in remembrance, we celebrate the ultimate triumph of the human spirit. However, no matter the result, war is always brutal and ugly. My dad,(shown here,  hated all war. Besides WWII, he also served in the Korean conflict and spent his civilian career working in a Veterans’ Hospital. He witnessed the human devastation of war first hand. I pray that as we honor those who have lost their lives defending our freedom, we learn from our past. If only the motto were true—never again.

Affirmation: I remember.

Coaching questions: How do you connect to this day in history? What contribution can you make to “never again?”

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Tokens of Our Past

by Mershon Niesner

I have over five thousand costumes and props and cars, and I have a twenty-five thousand square foot warehouse full of memorabilia. Debbie Reynolds, actress

Unlike Debbie, I’m not a collector of stuff.  I do, however, always wear a diamond ring that belonged to my grandmother and my mother, both died in their 30’s, both were named Winnifred (my mom was called Winnie).

I wear the ring because I love it, because it keeps me connected to my ancestors, and it’s one of the few things I own that belonged to these lovely ladies. Twenty-five years ago I had all of my heirloom jewelry stolen. This ring survived because it was on my finger and I keep it there in fear of losing it. What special remembrance pieces do you value?

Affirmation: I honor my ancestors.

Coaching questions: Is there something that belonged to someone in your past that is especially meaningful to you? Why is it important? Take a moment to think about the connection.