I don't know if you listen to country music or not. I don't know if you support the war, the president, etc. or not. I don't know if you like Tim McGraw or his politics or not. But, since it is almost Memorial Day, I'd like you to listen to this song:
This is Tim performing at the Country Music Awards Show:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u3bc7mdkyTw
This is the music video version:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C-o9aCoeGoI&mode=related&search=
Tim is actually a pretty liberal guy--he doesn't fall lock step into whatever line the administration is advocating at all times. I don't know how he feels about our being in Iraq, I just know how he feels about soldiers. And their families.
My soldier isn't going to be home this Memorial Day, but I'm lucky that he's just gone for a few days--it just happens to fall on Memorial Day. There are a lot of my friends who's husbands are gone for 6 months--and a lot of my friends who's husbands are gone for 15 months.
And--there are several of my friends who's husbands are gone forever. Tim's song is about them. And Memorial Day is about them.
We have lots of days for celebrating--4th of July, etc--even Veterans Day. But Memorial Day is not supposed to be about celebration (I can't tell you how angry it makes me to see advertisements for "Memorial Day Celebration Sales!") It is supposed to be a day to reflect, remember, and say thank you to those who gave their lives in defense of our freedom.
Often we refer to that as "the ultimate sacrifice." I am, of course, biased--but, I think there is one sacrifice a little greater. The sacrifice made by those left behind. The families--particularly spouses and children--of soldiers killed in battle make the ultimate sacrifice. They have to live with the pain of it from now on. Remember them and those they are missing on Memorial Day.
It's not just an extra day off of work---think about those who died to give you that day off.
Their families remember every day. Their brothers in arms remember every day. We should all remember every day. But especially Memorial Day.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
1 comment:
I could not have said it better. I remember when I was teaching at Vilseck one of my fellow teachers was very upset that AAFES was having a "Happy Memorial Day Sale". He wrote to the paper and said there is nothing HAPPY about Memorial Day. Of course I never thought about it until May 2005. One a happier note, I saw you on WoF!
Post a Comment