Send them home for the holidays
Okay, I feel little jaded after finding this newspaper clipping tonight. I had been lamenting seeing all these magnetic ribbons appearing on cars supporting different causes. It triggered me for some reason. Maybe part of the issue was the design of these ribbons.
Here’s an article about my mom when she drew ribbons on 200 Christmas card envelopes.
New Richmond family takes yellow ribbons to heart
January 20, 1981
WILLIAMSBURG—The American hostages will never know how many yellow ribbons were displayed in anticipation of their homecoming. And they probably will never meet many of those who support them through the long months of captivity.
Some of their biggest supporters are the members of the Robert Glass family, New Richmond, who took the yellow ribbon symbol to heart. The Glasses, like many other Americans, spent most of Monday waiting, hoping and praying for the hostages and their families.
“We’re just holding our breath,” Paula Glass said from the family-owned GRAFIC Machine Shop in Williamsburg. They’ve never met any of the hostages, but throughout the crisis the Glass family did what it felt would speed the hostages return—members prayed and adorned their fence with yellow ribbons. GRAFIC employees were also encourage to wear yellow ribbons.
THE RIBBONS HAVE been a sign of remembrance and hope, said Mrs. Glass. “They are all over. It makes you feel good,” she said. They plan to celebrate with their employees as soon as the hostages step onto American ground.
Mrs. Glass, who adorned 200 Christmas cards with yellow ribbons, said her family’s reaction was one of empathy.
“It’s really just the feeling, that it some member of my immediate family were under the strain they’ve been under?” she said.
“I’m a mother. Although none of my children is old enough (to be serving in the armed forces or government), it makes you stop and thing how fortunate we are in this country.
Of all the heartache and turmoil the hostage crisis has caused 52 families and the American public, Mrs. Glass said some good has resulted from the hostage situation.
“Something like this pulls a country together,” she said. “I hope it’s not forgotten. And I hope it prevents something like this from ever happening again.
