Mixed Emotions

Memorial Day is much more than a holiday, or three-day weekend, for many families across America. To them, it is a time of remembrance, but not on the same level as it is for the rest of us. The rest of us appreciate the great sacrifice paid by so many on our behalf and we may attend a ceremony during the day.

To them, this is a day of strong, mixed emotions. They are the ones left behind by those who paid the sacrifice. They are the ones who feel the loss, personally. We remember and appreciate, they remember and cry.

At the same time, in many of those homes, there is a sense of great pride. Their loved ones put us before themselves and with honor, gave it all.

How do you reconcile eternal heartache with overwhelming pride? Maybe you cannot. Maybe they just learn to live with each other.