We are in the 16th year of the longest war in American history. It’s the Memorial Day weekend. As a nation we remember all those who have served our nation in war, sacrificed their mental and physical health, and for too many, made the ultimate sacrifice of their lives.
What are we remembering today; the shared intimacy with a loved one, smiling faces, all those moments that would have been forgotten if they hadn’t been killed? All those times that are now cherished treasures rescued from fading memories.
How often does the grieving think of the war itself? Do they recall the fever that swept the country and led us to battle, the speeches, and flag waving?
What are we remembering this weekend?
Are we remembering that we have been down the war road often? And just as often we mourn promising lives now buried in the ground.
Sometimes in this confused world, war is necessary to protect our values and freedoms. But have all those wars been necessary? Have we learned anything?
On this Memorial Day weekend, I hope that as we mourn our war dead, we also remember why and how they ended up entombed in the earth. Perhaps by remembering, we will be less likely to rush into another conflict.
The best thing that we can do to support our service people is to insure that they are deployed only after all other forms of power have been used and war is the only option left.
This post was originally on Facebook.