Yesterday was Memorial Day.
People my age are the children of those who fought in WWII and Korea. Can you imagine your father or uncle, mother or aunt, grandfather or grandmother tossing grenades or firing upon another human being? I can't. But I'm grateful. And I'm terrified my sons might one day need to fight in a war.
My generation fought in the Vietnam War and yet we're the same generation who spit upon the soldiers when they returned home. It wasn't the soldiers' fault they had to go to war. So why did we punish them? Instead, we should have offered hugs and quiet THANK YOUs to these men and women. Just like we should do to those fighting in Iraq and elsewhere.
How have I celebrated Memorial Day?
When I was in my early twenties, I would celebrate the first official weekend of summer with a camping/canoeing trip. Nary a thought about the veterans who were killed fighting for my freedom.
Then I got married and had children. We didn't camp and canoe anymore, but we bar-b-Que'd and went to movies and slept in late.
Now my children are both heading off to college and I pray they will never experience the horrors of war.
Why it's so hard to say THANK YOU to the veterans I know? I want to let them know that what they fight for, what they endured for my freedom is truly meaningful to me. Yet, I feel awkward so I say nothing.
Well, not anymore. I shall try to let every veteran I know understand that I truly appreciate them and what they have had to do for this country, for my family, for my boys.
Thank You.
Thank all of you!
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1 comment:
a very thoughtful and heart-wrenching post. Very aptly written.
Christy
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