All of this morning’s news shows mentioned it.
And, it seems that at least half of the tweets on Twitter this morning mention it. November 11th…Veteran’s Day. A day set aside to remember and to honor those who serve and have served in our nation’s armed forces. And, while I am sure all of the comments are genuine and the thanks expressed is sincere, I have to confess to mixed feelings as I listen and read.
Not that we should not (I know…a double negative) be grateful and not express our thanks, but does it concern anyone else that the members of our armed services are coming from a smaller and smaller percentage of our country? That people like you and me are being more and more removed from the reality and the challenges that they face and their families face each day? Does it concern anyone else that a percentage of those who are homeless, living in cardboard boxes on the streets of our cities and towns, are veterans who came back home half broken or to little or no support? What about those who silently disappear returning home bearing scars that will not heal and living with nightmares from which they will never recover?
I know previous generations have lived through wars and had veterans come home. But maybe then it was different. It was closer to all of us. Closer to all of our communities. It was our brothers and cousins and friends and neighbors. (No, or very few, sisters or daughters at that time.) We knew them first hand because we went to school with them or they lived down the street. For most of us that is not true anymore. Veteran’s Day becomes just a day on the calendar rather than our best friend or the neighbor down the street.
Leave a Reply