Member-only story
Forty-Eight Stars and a Purple Heart
America was not built on fear. America was built on courage, on imagination and an unbeatable determination to do the job at hand. — Harry S. Truman
“Grandma”, I said excitedly, “look at the pretty purple pin I found!”
It was a rainy afternoon and I was rifling through the closet in search of something interesting when I found this unique item. Purple was my favorite color as a child, so this particular prize caught my eye right away.
Grandma gently took the newly discovered treasure from my little hands. She stared at it for a long moment and then looked at me wistfully.
“Don’t you think it’s pretty, Grandma?” I said hesitantly, picking up on something in her gaze.
“Well, yes, it’s pretty, but it’s also very special,” she said as she took my hand and led me to our special place — a big Quaker style rocking chair where she spent many hours neglecting housework in favor of cuddling me.
“This is a very special treasure,” Grandma began. “It’s a Purple Heart medal from the Army of the United States. It was given in honor of Grandpa’s brother, James.”
“Did I ever meet James, Grandma?”
