Memorial Day

The true meaning of Memorial Day is something that obviously resonates especially right now. That's a tall order to teach my six year old. I do know that soldiers scare him because he associates them with dying and war - no matter how much shelter you try to provide from reality of the state of affairs, you can't protect them from every song that seeps through or every newspaper clipping now that he's reading. What I try to do is point out all of the soldiers in our life (friends and family) that have fought for our country and are still her to talk about it. I found out I was pregnant with him on Sept. 7 2001, so he has never lived in a non-war America. I want him to understand what the military is about and what America is [at the core] really about. He's starting to get it and I try at every turn to help him understand that soldiers fight for our freedom and make sure that America is safe and protected. He has begun to recite the pledge whenever he sees a flag and puts his hand over his heart - and I love it! I'm going to insert a clip of him saying the pledge when he came across his new flag I bought him -sorry that you have to tilt your head to enjoy! It's very moving and I want him to never forget what Memorial Day (and July 4th and Veteran's Day for that matter) is [are] supposed to be about. I want him to focus on the way Americans should get a lump in their stomach when they hear of a family losing their home in a fire or natural disaster, even if it's thousands of miles across the country. Or the way tears should flow when they hear of an abduction or a mother losing her child in gang violence. Or the heart sick feeling one should feel when they hear of a child having to hug their parent for the last time for deployment in times of war for God knows how long. That is America and the other "stuff" that I wish was different - too many to name - are not the focus of the day which celebrates those who died fighting for a country of which they were proud enough to defend.

As I descend from my soapbox - I salute the troops, still fighting or in memorium, and say Thank You from the very bottom of a full heart and tears welling.