The ultimate sacrifice.
The sacrifice of a life for a cause. Some of those causes have been more noble than others, but that's not the real point. The real point is that brave men and women died to uphold whatever cause their country deemed worth dying for.
We have been at war on multiple fronts for over fifteen years. My youngest nephew has never known a time this country was not at war. How can that be? But so it is.
I've been following a debate in the news as to whether young women should have to register for the draft. My dismay is not that women would serve in combat--nor that we still have a draft that we could reanimate at a moment's notice--it's that so many of our lawmakers can consider with equanimity the likelihood of still another impending conflict, one where we'd have to draft every remaining kid.
But I don't want to be a big downer for those of you about to reap the reward of a much-deserved three day weekend. It's just...the original heading of this post was Got Plans? And I couldn't help thinking that...so did all those people whose sacrifice we're acknowledging come Monday.
Humans = strife and strife = war. I think war is part of the human condition. We're an early planet, relatively speaking, and conflict is in our genes. But the least we can do is take a few moments to consider what all those global "conflicts" mean--and that the price is more than a few hot dogs and hamburgers sizzling away on a grill.
Thank you for these sobering words of wisdom, Josh.
ReplyDeleteI think we need a reminder sometimes. People had to die for the things we take for granted. So that we can have our picnics and barbecues. I salute all the service men and women, past and present with a heartfelt thank you.
ReplyDeleteI come from a long line of people who have served in the military including myself. I am thankful that my family never experienced the ultimate sacrifice of a loved one, although we all at various times served during a time of war. It is and has been my fervent hope that my son and now grandchildren will never experience the trauma of war. I may not agree with the rationale behind entering into a war, but I respect anyone who serves regardless of times of peace or conflict. The Memorial Day weekend is something to truly look forward to when you work hard all week. However, I also like reflecting on its meaning and that this nation has sacrificed its greatest resources, which is our young men and women, and take a little time to appreciate their service. FYI – it’s a tiny thing, but Green Bean Coffee Company has a program called “Cup of Joe for a Joe” where a small contribution purchases a cup of coffee for active duty service members stationed in those areas where the rest of us do not want to be as a way of saying thank you.
ReplyDeleteI am always and will be for peace. But there a times, you have to battle for life. Thank you for this words!
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