Jack of Harts

Numerous members of my family have served the military over the years. We’re farming people, but not everybody wants to be a farmer for ever. So every generation has had members who served in the military. My cousins have served. My parents generation has served. My grandparents. My great uncle went to Europe during World War II, came back and married the girl he was writing letters to the whole time. He grew old with her. Had children and watched them grow up. My uncle went to Iraq in the First Gulf War and came home to a less welcoming wife. He survived the divorce and found a wife who understood good times and bad. He had more children and watched them grow up. And then he lost the Battle of the VA.

On Memorial Day we remember those who died serving our nation. I was just listening to a veteran talk about his walk through Arlington the other day. His reaction when he realized he knew thirty of the men buried there. How it brought home to him what Memorial Day was really about. And that’s it in the end.

Freedom isn’t free. For us or others. Brave men and women will sacrifice their lives for it again and again. We must promise to remember them, and do everything we can to make certain it was not in vain.