Here we are at Memorial day already. The year is flying by so fast. Hopefully this weekend has brought each of you rest and reflection, a chance to make memories and a kick off to summer.
I am very guilty of thinking too much. I was thinking today of the sacrifices of so many. Imagine never seeing your husband, father, son, wife or daughter. From the founding days of our country, the sacrifices of the brave and the sorrow of loss. The selflessness of those that fought and fight for our freedom.
We get so excited to go to the lake, to the beach. Cookouts and pools. And all of that is great and we have the freedom to do so. But just a moment to think about those that laid down their lives for their fellow man, a moment of time that is so small in comparison to the loss of life and families that will never hug their loved one again. What if we got excited about patriotism again? Which then led me down a different train of thought…
We get so caught up in our world of ME that we forget about others. These men and women put self to the side for the greater good of someone else. Their families put aside their need to keep their loved one safe in their arms and let them soar to a new adventure. I think it has made me think about how selfish we can be. We concentrate on what is happening in our own world without thoughts of how that effects someone else or just thinking of someone else.
We all have so many storms we go through each day. Some are huge and some are just bumps in the road. Think about the men storming Normandy…the ride to that beachy shore not knowing what to expect but looking out for their fellow man. When do we look out for each other? When it is convenient or when we are bored. When we are just ANYBODY to fill in the spot for SOMEBODY? When we forget to check on someone, remember a conversation or just use someone (and it so happens and leaves both people feeling empty).
The troops in Vietnam marching many miles in a land they didn’t know and a war that carries so many scars and health issues to this day. So when we march through the day do we look at the destination or do we notice the people we march by? Do we see the pain behind their smiles or the unknown struggles they go through because we actually asked? Think about it, we sometimes only look at the outside but miss so much. Those men marching through rain soaked trails waiting for an ambush and you see these young men ready for battle but dont see their soaked feet covered in blisters. Kind of like we miss out on other’s struggles.
The troops for desert storm coming in by land and sea to defend our country and fight against terrorism. How about us in our daily lives? What do we defend and what do we tear down? Seems we are in a society where we tear others down for how they look, dress, weight, orientation and so much more.We gossip and expect perfection and if you stumble the judgement can be worse than a woman without her abaya. These soldiers went to a land that had so much hatred for our country and they endured heat and dust and an enviroment that was hostile in all manners. And yet in our borders and our homes, this hostility can happen. When did we become such selfish people and miss the things that are important?
We all have had selfish people in our lives and we all have been selfish at some point. The person who needs to verbal vomit everything in their life and forget to ask how your life is. Your day is so hard and stressful but you forget to check on someone who is struggling to make it through another day. We get upset at the inconveniences in life (I know what I speak of….my air went out during this heat wave and I realized how spoiled I have become. And realized that there are those without air and don’t have a fan to their name and don’t know a dear man that worked his hardest to get it fixed!!). Our inconvenience is a heart’s desire for someone else. In no way am I saying that I don’t get down and sometimes want things to be about me and yes I get aggravated sometimes that I give more than I receive, and that doesnt mean financially only, emotional fulfillment matters too. But then I realize this is me. I give of myself not because it is expected but because of who I am. I am not all that and yes I want to be loved on and spoiled and surprised at times. But I also find joy in doing that for others. We each go through this but sometimes we stay at the sea of selfishness and forget to land on the dock of caring.
So these brave men and women, the families that support these loved ones, they do what they do because they love this country and they have stepped outside of themselves. What if we did that? Step outside our situation and stand in the gap for someone else? Not because it is expected but because you want to.
Unfunfilled expectations is one of the biggest disappointments in life. People will let us down everyday because they don’t know what we want or expect. Selfishness jumps in all of our hearts and lives. But we all have choices. I choose to expect the good in others. I know that I won’t always be treated like I do others, but I have to answer for me. Selfish people surround us everyday and we get to choose how we respond and maybe one day they will realize the jewel that they have in their life. These brave servicemen and women have to answer for themselves and this country and have answered the call from the beginning of this country to today where our country has lost her way and they have been selfless in that decision.
So enjoy that barbecue today, that lake breeze, the glass of wine as the sun sets. But realize every activity, everything we take for granted someone’s sacrifice for our freedom. And maybe we step outside the world of ME to discover some amazing WE out there. May our memories never be so single-minded that we take the time to remember thise who laid down their life so that we could experience our own life.
