As if you didn't know, Today Is Memorial Day In The USA. America is asking you to - Call/Text/Post/Boast/Cry/Weep/Steep/BBQ/Dance/Drink/Wink. The nation's day of honouring our soldiers from all wars/battles is afoot. For some, it is an opportunity to express gratitude to those who have been willing to face death by protecting our country from attacks; assisting other countries when they are attacked; and, unfortunately, often sent to war for no reason other than greed and paranoia at the base of ill-conceived decision-actions of The Powers That Be – warranted or not. (See Vietnam, Iraq, and troops remaining in Pakistan, for example.)
For others, it is an annual nightmare of pain/sorrow/guilt/blame/loss/pride of father's and/or mother's fallen in The Line Of Duty.
Beyond the parades and a variety of celebrations, our National Annual Ritual, in 2013, brings with it a combination of deep sorrow, grand respect, and a heretofore outpouring of unexpected support from Baby Boomers who once protested anyone associated with the military when The Draft was in place and young men (not women) were forced into service if they weren't the children of well-connected Influential People who could help them slip out of their obligations…or were unable to make it across the border to Canada.
Although I attended a Military Academy for one summer in the midst of my Hippie Days, enjoying the uniforms, marching, and friendships I now wish I would have cultivated further into my "later life," being Pro-War has never been part of my consciousness. But NOW I completely support anyone who is in the "military" – whether for a better education; lack of other choices, or a desire to "serve" the country. I do so because I see the "them" of it all as both brave as well as the smaller, less-important chess pieces the Big Guys play with in their leisure time. Thus, empathy and compassion shoot forth from my heart.
For one day, let's set our differences, complaints, etc. into the desk drawer among other ruins, and gratefully salute those who have died for Freedom. For Justice. For A Pay Check. For Self-Respect.
Ah, my, my, my. Miss Molly! I do believe I'm feeling a tad faint from all of the positive feelings which glow within my heart, sayeth the Gay Male Queen within me.
Be well, enjoy whatever you have planned (or not) for your holiday. Should you be peeking-in from elsewhere, you'll note that America, despite being extremely Type A in the Working Departments of one's life, does have a series of blow-out days in snippets. But not the comfy 3-4 week vacay's of Other Civilized Countries. I'm naturally convinced that is part of why Democracy - here - is beginning to fail. But no! We're not going to "go there" today!
Oh, and BTW, through my choice and nothing else, I'm actually WORKING for part of the day to prep for a new writing/editing project, although, if other areas of my life were different, I would prefer to be spending this weekend at a spa receiving massage-after-massage; mineral spring water dips, body scrubs, facials, and a week without one worry in the world.
Wouldn't we all like that, eh?
A toast to all who serve their countries – WILLINGLY! With or without massages and body scrubs.
Image via: I Wish I Knew
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