2009-11-07 06:40:05 - Veterans Day is an ideal time to create what is called a Vision Board tribute to an active military man or woman in your family or neighborhood or to give Gratitude for a fallen or departed veteran in your life. Best-selling author Joyce Schwarz, The Vision Board Book, www.ihaveavision.org shows you how.

Veteran's Day, November 11 is the ideal time to honor any active military in your family or neighborhood with a Gratitude Vision Board and to salute the fallen and veterans of past service with a Tribute Board according to best-selling author Joyce Schwarz whose book THE VISION BOARD: the secret to an extraordinary life is #1 mystical best-seller on Amazon.com

for 16 weeks this year.

Schwarz shows how to use pictures from your albums (either digital or actual paper pix) to create a canvas type college to honor the Veterans in your family or neighborhood.

Here are five simple stept to creating a Tribute Board for the fallen or for those veterans who served in the past:

1) Take a moment with your family or just your own memories to remember the key events and experiences in the Veteran's life that were not military related. Remember the fun things he or she did -- like play softball or make a great apple pie. Jot down a couple of those things.

2) Gather some pictures of the Veteran -- in active duty clothing or if that if you're not ready to picture the veteran in uniform pick a favorite pix from his/her past that shows their character.

3) Get pictures of symbols and or logos that show a bit more about the person's life -- maybe the company they worked for or the division of the military service they served in ie Marines, Air Force, Army, Navy.


4) If you're ready emotionally add a few favorite pictures from the military person's departure -- whether it was to overseas post or maybe even the final tribute if you feel positive when looking at those pictures.

Note, you have to be ready. I was going to make a tribute for my dad last year and I wasn't ready until this year almost a year after his military funeral. Now I cherish some of the pictures we took the Ohio Cemetary and apprecfiate the military who were involved in the ceremony. And of course hearing the TAPS music that he always loved " Days is Done Gone the Sun...so many times my dad would look at the sunset and say that.. but every morning he was ready for Reveille too!

5) Add some key words that remind you of your veteran -- and if you're not ready to for words just add a favorite quote or a phrase that comes to mind. You can always update this Tribute Board later.

WORKING WITH ACTIVE DUTY MILITARY FAMILIES

If you're working with an active military family to honor one of their active soldiers, then you may want to include some fun pix that person has sent via email or family pix showing the military person playing pool or riding his or her motorcycle or some kind of action activities since those are often the best memories we have of the person.

You can make your board as personal as you want or it can just be symbolic with pictures you're reacy to share with those who will see it if you want to display it in your office or home. Don't force yourself to add any pictures that don't bring a smile to your face. Okay there may be a tear in your eye but remember the purpose is to bring Tribute and to offer Gratitude for their service.

ADD KEY WORDS AND DECORATIONS:

If you're comfortable adding some key words like PEACE PLEASE or a line from a prayer, now's the time to do it. You can type out the prayer in script on your computer or have a family member with great penmanship or calligraphy actually artfully design it for you to add to your board.

Additional things you may want to include on your board: crayon drawings from the children in your family, medals (or xerox replicas of medals from the Veteran’s honor drawer, And you can always update your board with pictures from the veteran when she or he returns to your fold!

Don't forget Tribute is a project in progress...you can begin with a few pictures and add more later So you may want to start slowly with just a few pictures or a few key words and then add more as you become ready to honor the Veterans in your life!

For more info go to: www.visionboard.infoor see Joyce Schwarz Keynote at the Portland Convention Center the weekend prior to Veteran's Day -- November 7 & 8 or email: joyceschwarz(at)gmail.com