Jump to content
Washington Football Team Logo
Extremeskins

Memorial Day


Burgold

Recommended Posts

Bless those who sacrificed for freedom and those who endured loss of loved ones. Celebrate your freedom and mine. Happy #MemorialDay

 

I've always been a cake eating civilian (that's what one of my great Marine friends labeled me anyway), but I've spent a lot of time volunteering in military hospitals helping marines, soldiers, sailors and their families recover. I've seen incredible staffs and shameful shortfalls, but by and large the people I worked with and the people I supported were ones of great will and made me proud.

 

I remember tragedies, people who didn't make it out of the burn ward and victories after a fourteenth operation. Feelings of helplessness as you see a five year old kneeling and crying outside her Daddy's room and knowing you can distract and comfort, but not really help.

 

All of these things I keep in my cake eating heart. I do not forget the sacrifices of the volunteer or the draftee. I also know without those sacrifices not only would I not have the same life or freedoms, I simply wouldn't exist. See, my Mom was born a Jew in 1939 Poland. My grandparents fled and escaped surviving the war in Russia, but without our Marines, soldiers, sailors, and allies I would never have been born an American or likely been born at all.

 

So, thank you to those fallen, their families, and to those who sacrifice for us.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I recently spent a brief amount of time at the Vietnam Memorial. I live locally but don't get into the District much, and it had been years since I was last there.

The somber mood was enhanced by the striking silence that the memorial somehow achieved in the middle of DC, and I stood for awhile watching people find the names of their loved ones on the wall. Sons and daughters, grandchildren, veterans finding names of people they served with who didn't make it back. I didn't know any of their stories, but watching all of them was a harsh reminder that every single one of those names had a story to go with it. They had family and friends left behind, and they made the ultimate sacrifice for their country and all of us who enjoy our freedoms because of them.

Not "happy Memorial Day, let's go grill some hotdogs." How about take the time to reflect a little and do something today to help put everything into perspective.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The happiness in it is in honoring their sacrifice and the freedom and life that it brought. Their sacrifice allowed our present. So, I don't begrudge the idea of a "happy" Memorial Day just like I have seen some wakes and funerals that were joyous celebrations. I do think that respect and reflection should be at the forefront and I totally agree that it's not a day for sales, bbqs and the unofficial opening of Summer as it has been often treated, but I do think there is a way to be honor and be happy.

 

I am happy that I live in this country and celebrate the freedoms that I have. That happiness is tied to the work, struggle, and sacrifice of many.

 

Hope this makes sense.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...