May We Never Forget – Memorial Day 2012
May 27, 2012 by Barbara Jacoby
Filed under Creating Happiness, Recent Posts
It is now Memorial Day, 2012, and I find that I am a bit sadder on this holiday each year. It seems to me that fewer and fewer people take the time to remember those who have given their lives in order that we may have the freedoms that we have in this country. For most people to whom I have spoken, Memorial Day has one meaning and that is the kick-off to the summer season and should be celebrated for that reason. It is the first holiday of the summer with the 4th of July being the one in the middle and Labor Day being the last one. Quite
For those who I will never meet, I wish to honor them by creating a whole new attitude about the “tough” times in my life. I want to remind myself that what I am facing is nothing in comparison to what our military personnel have had to face and when certain times or circumstances become overwhelming, I will fight onward and upward for myself and for those around me and never give up.
I have tried to figure out why this is so. Statistics show that 6.500 lives have been lost in the current war as opposed to 58,000 during the Vietnam War and more than 100,000 during World War II. Another big factor may be that the armed forces were staffed by draft during the previous wars as opposed to the current staffing by all volunteers. As a result, it seems that fewer people now know someone in service to this country who has lost their life as well as the fact that those who are serving made the choice to do so rather than being forced to do so.
The one thing that seems to be lost about the reason for Memorial Day is that it is for remembering everyone dead or alive who has given a portion of their life to fight for democracy and the defense of the freedoms that we enjoy in this country. Not everyone, including our service personnel, may agree with the causes that the government decides in which we should participate. However, everyone should agree that every single person who has served deserves our utmost respect and appreciation.
Not having served myself, I know that I can’t begin to know and understand what these very special people have gone through in their service. Not having lost a family member or personal acquaintance, I can’t begin to pretend to know the hole that is left in the hearts of those who have lost a love one. Not having been closely acquainted with someone who served and returned home, I can’t begin to imagine what it is like for those individuals who have been physically or mentally injured in ways that I will never know. And not having had a member of my family so close to any combat situation, I can’t imagine begin to imagine what it is like to have them return home and trying to help them to return to this society after having gone through what they have experienced.
My wish is to acknowledge every single military person that I meet with a personal thank you for their service. I know that those words can never begin to express my appreciation for their sacrifices and for all that they have done for all of us but for me, they are true heroes.
For those who I will never meet, I wish to honor them by creating a whole new attitude about the “tough” times in my life. I want to remind myself that what I am facing is nothing in comparison to what our military personnel have had to face and when certain times or circumstances become overwhelming, I will fight onward and upward for myself and for those around me and never give up. After all, if other people can fight for my life and my freedoms, it is certainly the very least that I can do for myself.
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