I hope the title grabbed your attention. For some of you, it might have pissed you off and for others, your curiosity got the best of you. Good. That's exactly what I wanted. After more than 30 minutes of talking to my mom about the posts we saw on Facebook this Memorial Day, I decided that it was time for a refresher on what the holiday is really about. No, it is not just a day that many of us get off of work from so it becomes a three-day weekend. It is also not just some day that we all grill out because it is "basically the start of summer." But these aren't even some of the biggest reasons we have done wrong to this holiday.
Memorial Day is the day to remember the men and women who died while they were serving their country. It is not a day to take a picture with your grandpa, who is still alive, to thank him for serving in the war of his time. It is not a day to thank your friend who is currently in basic training to become a brave soldier for our nation. On Memorial Day, we reflect on those who have made the ultimate sacrifice so that we could stay safe at our home. We pray for and say thanks to those who paid the ultimate price for our freedom and for their families. You may not personally know someone who has done this, but think about all the wars. How we may have triumphed, but some did not get to see that end result.
It is estimated that about two military personnel are killed in the line of duty each day. This isn't fully accurate because as many of us know when we lose soldiers, it's when our enemy strikes a pack. They may not be lost every single day, but this is sadly what it equates to. Either way to me, this number is astounding considering there are only about 1,400,000 active front line personnel and about 145,215,000 soldiers available for manpower.
Now, don't get me wrong. I am not saying that you shouldn't honor our service men and women or our veterans. You should thank these people every day because they are here for you to be able to do so. You should feel honored to be in their presence for they promised to lay down their life for you without even knowing your first name. Whether a friend or foe they wanted to keep you hidden from the truest of evils in this world. They are or were able to come home when many of their fellow fighters couldn't do the same. They faced sights that some of us only witness in movies, as if that could do the damage it causes justice. They know what the devil is capable of and many are haunted by this day in and day out even when they return home.
Don't wait until a certain day comes around to honor our service men and women. And when these days do come around, please do not clump everyone into the same category. On Memorial Day, think of those who lost their lives while fighting for freedom, that doesn't exactly come free. On Veterans Day, think of those who fought and returned to us, maybe not the same as before, but still back none the less. And every day, think of the ones who are stepping into their boots and slipping on their jackets to fight for what they believe in and honor the ones who came before them. Actually, use every day to think of all three.
They deserve it.
