Memorial Day should always warrant our respect and appreciation.
It’s very easy to forget the significance of something the further you are removed from its reality. It used to be that war touched the majority of Americans directly, but now many of us only feel the consequences indirectly. Our nation has been at war for more than 10 years now and our troops (and those of our allies) continue to risk their life on a daily basis. Thankfully, we seem to be scaling back the required sacrifice, but the loss of even one soldier is a tragedy let alone the 6,717 that have given their life in combat in Iraq and Afghanistan since 2001. This is a heavy emotional burden that will be felt by families for generations. We also shouldn’t also forget the life altering injuries that tens of thousands of our troops have suffered and the devastating psychological consequences of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.
Memorial Day is a day to remember those that gave “the last full measure of devotion.” Throughout the history of our country, the number is well in excess of 1 million lives lost. While most of us will go about the weekend having fun and enjoying the unofficial beginning of summer, we should at least take a few moments to reflect on the significance of the day. There are many brave souls who risk their life on a daily basis so we can maintain our freedoms here at home. I’ve decided to share two brief film clips from the very special movies, Saving Private Ryan and Taking Chance that do a better job of reflecting on what I am hoping to convey:
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