In a world increasingly focused on speed and efficiency, Dr. Raquel Ramsey’s Reflections is a rare literary offering that calls us to slow down and sit with memory. A heartfelt tapestry woven with poems, stories, letters, and photographs, the book is not only an intimate memoir but also a personal archive of 20th-century love, faith, and patriotism. Ramsey’s life story—centered around her decades-long marriage to Colonel Edwin P. Ramsey, a legendary WWII cavalryman—is as romantic as it is historically meaningful.
At its core, Reflections is a love story. It recounts the unexpected, powerful bond between Raquel and Ed, which began on New Year’s Eve in Manila and endured 34 years of marriage. Ed, who led the last horse-mounted cavalry charge in U.S. Army history, was more than a war hero—he was the man Raquel prayed for since childhood. Their love story, which spans continents, decades, and personal triumphs and tragedies, is a testimony to faith, fate, and enduring devotion.
But Reflections goes beyond romance. It is a celebration of memory and legacy, richly layered with anecdotes of travel, cultural tradition, family, and national service. Raquel recounts their globetrotting adventures—from motorhome road trips across the U.S. to elegant cruises around the world—always with a sense of wonder and gratitude. These chapters are not merely about places visited but about the people met, the lessons learned, and the moments shared. For readers, especially educators and students, these stories offer primary insight into the lived experiences of the WWII generation and those who preserved its memory.
Educators can also find in Reflections a valuable teaching tool. Whether exploring women’s contributions during wartime (as seen in the chapter honoring Ed’s sister, Nadine Ramsey, a pioneering WASP pilot), or prompting classroom discussions on historical memory, cultural identity, and the art of personal narrative, this book is a window into history as told by those who lived it. Its emphasis on family heritage, the preservation of photographs and letters, and the intersection of personal and national history can spark student projects in oral history, memoir writing, and historical fiction.
Another vital thread in Reflections is Raquel’s deep and abiding faith. From her devotion to the Blessed Mother Mary to stories of prayer answered during her husband’s health crises, Raquel’s spiritual life undergirds every chapter. Her prayers are not merely emotional comforts; they are transformative events that shaped the course of her life and, by extension, her husband’s legacy.
In a poignant passage, Raquel recounts the moment her husband passed away in 2013 and how a rainbow appeared over his gravesite at Arlington National Cemetery. For her, it was more than a coincidence—it was a divine sign that love transcends death. This spiritual lens gives her work a sacred dimension, one that resonates with readers who seek hope and meaning through life’s most painful transitions.
Finally, Reflections is a book that honors the act of remembering. In a culture often too quick to move on, Dr. Ramsey insists that remembering is an act of love and resistance—a way of keeping not just people, but principles, alive. Whether writing letters to her late husband, poems for holidays, or tributes to mentors and loved ones, she turns grief into grace and memory into legacy.
For anyone seeking a deeper understanding of how personal narrative can illuminate history, or for those simply needing a gentle, faith-filled reminder that love and courage endure, Reflections is a rare and beautiful read. Dr. Raquel Ramsey reminds us that every life holds a story worth telling—and remembering.
