Recognition of  Sacrifice
by Theresa DeRoberts

If not for our family gatherings, rituals, and holidays we would find ourselves disconnected not only from loved ones, but from our history and culture. No matter where in the world, men and women have had since time recorded the instinct to include and mark important dates and events in their lives. They have carved out opportunities to gather and remember, and provide traditions for generations to come. At the end of May, the United States remembers events that define an important quality of America, a willingness to risk life itself for the sake of others.

Memorial Day Weekend comes every year with mixed sentiment. It marks the near beginning of summer, with outdoor activities, parades, and BBQs. For the first time in the year, one is ready to enjoy longer days and lighter clothes. At the same, we thank and mourn the heroes of the past, who fought wars under the American flag, armed with idealism and belief, and often returned to us deceased.

It is important to understand that there is no celebration of war. There is no glory in conflict. And there is no dignity in suffering. There is only recognition of sacrifice. Memorial Day reminds us to take a moment to consider and appreciate those who committed themselves to our causes abroad, aware of the possibility of no return. Men and women who boarded a plane or a ship with a duffel bag, knowing he or she might not touch American soil again.

One would like to believe that with each passing decade, America will be in a position to send fewer and fewer soldiers abroad and engage in fewer and fewer conflicts in the world. History, unfortunately, suggests otherwise. She seems to have an important role in the continued democratization of the world, and she is still a threat to others who denounce her idea of liberty. Could we even conceive of a final end to conflict?

If you cross veterans in the coming weeks say hello and say thank you. Offer them your seat. Buy them a drink. Ask them what it was like there, wherever there was, and ask them what it is like to be home again. A sincere interest in their experience and undoubted suffering is a very natural expression of gratitude and reminds them they were not away in vain.