They Meant Something

I'm sure that there are plenty of blogs today about recognizing our fallen soldiers.  I'm also sure that there aren't enough, so here's one more. 

364 days out of the year it takes a lot to make most of us think of those people over there in Iraq.  Those men and women who are missed so desperately by their families; who, themselves, have little time for the luxury of homesickness since they are so occupied with trying not to let their brothers and sisters die, trying to make a difference and trying not to die, in that order.  In that order.  Don't believe me?  Ask the comrades of 19 yr old Ross McGinnis, whose lives were saved to fight another day when he sacrificed himself by smothering a grenade.  These are men and women who literally overcome the natural instinct of self preservation in order to work toward a higher calling: freedom. 

I couldn't care less how many parades, flags and barbecues I see today.  In typical American style, we celebrate.  I think that it is also important to remember, though.  When I say that, I don't mean that it's important to say "I remember that there are people who died for my freedom".  I mean that I think it's important to sit for 5-10 minutes or so and think about these people, because they meant something to someone outside of their military career.  Hell, they meant EVERYTHING to someone.  They used to be the person with whom someone woke up every morning and ended every day.  They used to be the someone that a mother sent off to school every weekday morning and who got nagged to clean his/her room.  They used to be someone with a future.  Someone with potential.  Someone whose life was cut short out of their need to do more.  Imagine your brother, sister, uncle, best friend or child and think about how much you love him/her.  Now imagine that he/she lay beneath one of those tombstones in Arlington Cemetery and you'll see the point at which I am aiming.

I feel like although we should honor these men and women, we should also thank the families who were left behind when they died.  The families who raised these people to be the heroes that they were.  Families who supported their decision to join the Armed Forces, who sent them letters and care packages and missed them at birthday parties, graduations and weddings. 

So please, take a moment today to really think about this.  If they are old enough, talk to your children about it.  Explain to them the real purpose behind Memorial Day, and that each of these people who died was, once, just like them.

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