The
tradition in the US is to make a special effort on Memorial Day to remember
those that have served our country and gave their lives to maintain our
freedom. It’s also a day to remember those that have passed away before
ourselves.
While there
are several members of our family that have served in the armed forces, none of
them that I knew directly have perished during that service. For that I am very
thankful and I am grateful to them for their service to our country.
My parents
and Lynn’s mom have been gone long enough for the sharp pain of their loss to
be muted somewhat and the loss of our son Joe is mostly down to a dull ache
that will likely last for many more years.
What has
helped me get through the rough times when remembering my passed loved ones is
to dwell on the fun times we had with them, the memories of them doing things
that made them happy and created smiles on those around them. I could write a
book or more on some of the great stories based on those memories if I only had
the time. Or perhaps better stated is if I made the time to do so.
For now I’ll
leave you with this: When out and about today and in the days that follow,
bring up those great memories and push the others to a back shelf. Don’t
discard them, just regulate them to a less important station.
