As the Executive Director of Wreaths Across America and a mother and grandmother, I am excited to launch our education series based on the “What is a Veteran’s Wreath?” narration highlighting the characteristics of our service men and women and supporting our 2024 theme: Live with Purpose.

The first of which is “Their Belief in the Greater Good.”

This might be one of the most important things we can remind ourselves of and teach our children. You often will hear members of the military speak of the comradery among the troops and how they have each other’s backs. They trust and depend on each other. And then you hear a story of somebody who threw themselves on a grenade to save the rest of the people they were serving with, showing such selflessness that it leaves us all wondering what I would do. That is an extreme example of believing in and acting for the greater good.

When such heroic acts touch us, we often commit to taking action ourselves that will impact others positively. As the song says, “All gave some, some gave all,” and sharing stories of that giving allows us an opportunity to teach. To me, we must teach kids to understand that people served and many died so they could have a good life and challenge them to live their lives purposefully.

There are great opportunities to break these examples into age-appropriate lessons and teach children that it’s not all just about me. It’s about how I relate to other people and how, in doing that and being kind and understanding that there is a greater good, not just immediate satisfaction, we can make the world a better place and pay forward the responsibility of freedom. Our Curriculum Developer, Cindy Tatum, a Gold Star Mom, did just that in this month’s new free lesson plans focusing on kindness.

DOWNLOAD LESSON PLANS

Live with Purpose Lesson Plans are under the first red drop-down menu.

Then, in our first video of the new “Live with Purpose” series, Mark Holmquist, Scarborough, Maine, Chief of Police, talks about his service as a Sentinel Guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldiers located at Arlington National Cemetery. He talks about striving for perfection because these unknowns gave up their lives and identities for our freedom (for the greater good). He is committed to treating people with respect and doing his best to honor those who have allowed us to live free lives. We thank Mark for his military service, his continued service to the community and for exemplifying living a life with purpose…for the greater good.

“The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.” - Mahatma Gandhi

With gratitude,

Karen Worcester