A little boy went to the cemetery with his dad on Memorial Day to visit his grandpa’s grave. His grandpa had been killed in combat. There was a flag next to the headstone. “Is this the only day we take time to remember the people who died while in the military?” he asked his dad.
“Every day is Memorial Day for us who lost family.” His dad replied.
Any hospice organization has had veterans of combat on service. Most of these veterans have never been able to leave the trauma of combat behind. It is not by choice that the memories have stayed with them their entire life. And so it is with the surviving family and friends back home of someone who was killed in combat. The feeling of loss has stayed with many of them their entire life, as well.
Most hospice’s offer a grief service that is opened to anyone who has suffered a loss; particularly someone who has suffered a loss that they are told they should “be over it” by now.
Memorial Day was established to honor those who have died while serving in the United States military. It might also be a day that maybe we, who have not had a close family member die in combat, call someone who has. Where do soldier, marine, airmen, sailor, and Coast Guard combat casualties come from? They come from families. The survivors of someone being remembered on Memorial Day may carry the war with them for the rest of their lives, just as surviving combat veterans do.
If you know of someone who lost a person during military service, call them and mentioned the deceased by name. Let them know that their loved one is remembered, and not just on Memorial Day.
Author Rick Schneider
