The day has always brought mixed fillings for me. One the one hand, there's nothing I can say or do to re-pay the sacrifice others did so me and my family can live the life we have. Thankfully, we can honor them for those sacrifices. Today's the day set aside for such remembrances.
There should be more days like today.
But, on the other hand, there's loss, and not just because many who have served are no longer with us. My father passed away when I was a child. Not once did I ever speak to my father about the times when he served. As I've aged, those experiences mean more and more to me. I went through my teenage years without his knowledge and experience. When I was the age my father went to war, I entered a different from of service, but instead of facing the very real possibility of death, I encountered hatred, bigotry, discrimination...hardly the same thing.
I grew up and live today the son of a veteran, the nephew of many veterans--all of them now gone.
On this day, friends and family post pictures and memories of loved ones who served. I do the same, almost every year. I'm jealous of those who were able to know their veterans on a deeper level, a personal one, while all I have is a handful of grainy black and white photos of my father and the strangers who served with him. Even though it's not much, I cherish the pictures. They mean the world to me.
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