Memorial Day

I had written this post earlier today and somehow lost it.  I will try to recreate it from the best of my memory....

Memorial Day.  To some, it means picnics, the beginning of summer and time off.  To me, and to all of us, it should mean so much more.

My son last night, in an effort to negotiate for dessert, said, "It's a special holiday, it's Memorial Day, the veterans fought for our right to have dessert."  I corrected him and said, "no, they didn't fight for dessert, they fought for freedom."

Having a grandfather who fought in World War II and a great-grandfather who was a medic in World War I definitely gives me some appreciation for the sacrifice our veterans have made.  My great-grandfather developed depression, anxiety and even underwent electro-shock therapy.  In the light of modern medical knowledge, I'm sure he had PTSD, but back then it was just thought to be mental illness, they didn't understand it.  My great-grandmother also sacrificed as she was a working mom, supporting her family in the 1920's and 30's when it wasn't that common because of my great-grandfather's hospitalizations.

A couple of weeks ago, my family was at a race that was helping to support our wounded veterans.  My son was staring at a man who had two prosthetic legs.  He was getting ready to run.  Instead of saying, "Don't stare," I talked with my son.  I told him, "see the man there who has different legs?"  Yes, my son said in awe.  "That's pretty awesome he's running today isn't it?  My son asked what happened to his legs.  "I don't know his story, he may have not been born with legs, he may have lost them in an accident, or he may have lost them defending our country."  "Wow, " my son answered and pondered.

As I've written before, my husband and I don't want to over-shelter our son.  We don't want him to become part of a society that seems to be becoming more and more entitled every day.  We want him to be a person of gratitude.

In light of this, we let him watch the Memorial Day Special on PBS last night.  Perhaps unwise, because he is easy to have nightmares, but he's always enjoyed watching for the music.  We let him watch a little bit more (although not the most gruesome).   We watched and talked about gratitude.  My heart changed a little as I watched and thought of my grandfather and great-grandfather who fought for our country, our rights, our freedom and for the right of my son to have dessert.  I'm pretty sure my grandpa would have agreed, that's an important right.  Our freedom to live and be peaceful and grateful and enjoy dessert rests on all those veterans, now and before who fight for those who they never even got to know.