This Memorial Day I did something I will endeavor to do for every Memorial Day for the rest of my life. For the first time that I can remember since a field trip back in grade school, I visited Zachary Taylor Veterans cemetery. I now realize, this visit was long overdue. To say the experience was powerful is a vast understatement.
My objective was to begin the process of teaching my kids about the sacrifices others make on our behalf. At ages six, four and five months the effect for them was most likely very limited. Considering this was merely introductory in nature I wasn't looking to give them any more than a memory and establish a few general talking points. However, I walked away having a newfound perspective of my own. I was taken aback by my emotions as we strolled through the cemetery. Seeing the uniform landscape of the headstones of thousands of veterans literally brought me to tears. Standing there and seeing these headstones for as far as you can see was overwhelming. The visual and the thought that those buried in this cemetery paid the ultimate price for our freedom ran right through me. Although not all died during combat, they all put their life on the line and are there for a reason that can never be fully appreciated by those of us that haven't done the same.
As we turned in the cemetery I was, for some reason, surprised that many others had the same idea as I did on this national holiday. I'm not sure why I thought I was going to be the only one with the idea to visit a Veterans cemetery on Memorial Day but the fact that there were several dozens of others there doing the same thing was heart-warming. Seeing Veterans in fully uniform tailgating together spending the day with their bretheren, both living and deceased, illustrated the joy, friendship, camaraderie, respect and solidarity that they maintain for one another, and their country. Again, another visual that cut straight to the bone.
There are several things I respect about our armed service men and women but when I think about the fact that there are basically those that volunteer and those that were drafted, I marvel at the mindset of the two. You're either a person that is so patriotic that you are willing to sign your life over to the United States of America or you are drafted and, despited the fear and reluctance, you plow ahead anyway and serve because it was what your country needed of you. Both scenarios warrant an indebtedness that can never be repaid by the casual civilian. To some extent it makes me feel guilty that I haven't served my country in the same way.
I recently saw an armed serviceman at McDonald's and made it a point to shake his hand and thank him for his service. It made my day to know that although I could never repay him, I could, at a bare minimum, acknowledge his own sacrifice on my behalf. He simply smiled, nodded and said "thank you." I wonder how many times other civilians extend their gratitude directly to our troops. I hope I wasn't the first to tell him thank you. I hope many like me realize how lucky they are to have men and women of the armed forces make the sacrifices they make because our freedom isn't free. It comes at a price that most of us aren't willing to put on the line.
I hope one day my kids look back on their experience, whether this year or during future trips to Zachary Taylor, and truly grasp and appreciate the meaning and importance of our visit. I hope they can pass along their respect to both active and veteran service people. Because as I found out, honoring the patriotism and sacrifices of our veterans instills its own pride and patriotism.
