25/05/2024
Memorial Day- the Gold Star honor you never want.
People you never met, stories youâll never hear, and sacrifices you didnât make. This weekend, take a minute and look around you. Look at the obnoxious political posts, differing religious beliefs, all walks of life being allowed to co-exist and appreciate that we have the freedoms to allow such things. I didnât do that, you didnât do that. Our presidents didnât do that, our government didnât do that. The young men and women willing to put their lives on the line did that. For some of those young men and women, they paid the ultimate sacrifice.
There are children that grow up without personal knowledge or even memories of their parents, they only hear that their dad or mom died a hero. They will have a folded flag, a cold headstone with their last name engraved and some pictures as all that is left to remind them. There are mothers and fathers that are grieving this weekend all over again, remembering their child that gave their all. Spouses that will spend the weekend putting on a brave face and trying like hell to hold it together for everyone else. Afterall, they should be âover itâ by now, right? No.
You donât get over that type of loss. You donât get over the loss of a child, a brother, a parent. Scar tissue forms where that gaping wound tore open your heart, but you donât forget that deep loss.
For Veterans everywhere, this is a somber weekend. As the civilians around them light up the barbecue and chug down another beer, what they would give to have their buddies standing there with them. Cracking jokes, making fun of the brand new enlisted that donât know the ropes yet, but appreciating the camaraderie nonetheless.
They think back on the shared memories with their lost buddies. Basic, AIT, shooting the s**t in the barracks, harassing each other about mistakes they made in training, the nicknames they earned through basic and training together. They think on the last time they saw them alive, the easy smile they had, or that look of silent fear they tried to hide. The Veteran thinks of their funeral service, watching their little boy trying to keep that upper lip stiff and losing the battle to break down and sob at the loss of their Daddy. The veteran thinks of what could have been done differently to prevent this massive loss. They think of how undeserving they are of the privilege of life when their buddies lie forever still.
As you gather this weekend with friends and family, remember why you have that right. Next time you have a difference of opinion with your boss, your friend, your family, remember why you have the right to express that differing viewpoint. Remember the fallen. Remember the parents, the spouses, the brothers and sisters, and especially remember their children who will grow up knowing their parent as an abstract idea, a hero, but an idea more than a physical presence in their lives. Remember the honor none of these people ever wanted to have, a Gold Star Family.
Live your life with purpose, with intention, and most of all with gratitude.
