Dear fellow U.S. citizens of all stripes and colors:
On May 30 of every year, Americans across our nation dedicate a day to remembering our war dead. It is a solemn occasion. Decorating the graves of our Armed Forces who died in combat is a tradition we have kept since the Civil War. It is good and right that we should and must do so. They all deserve this day. It is the least that we can do for their willingness to give their lives to protect ours.
I have attended many Memorial Day events in parks and at national cemeteries. I bring flowers when I do. They allow me to feel a bit more intimacy with these valiant men and women that we honor. And I am always filled with sorrow and cry at these ceremonies, mourning the loss of so many futures and the grief of their loved ones, particularly of their children. It is sometimes good to allow oneself to open their hearts to such painful feelings. It makes us more godly, more human, more American when we do so.
One of the ways that Patriotic Hearts helps war widows is by counseling. — My wife, Tori, does the majority of this because most of them are women. She listens for hours sometimes as they pour out their hearts and pain and struggles to her. She comforts them as they cry and encourages them through their trials to have hope and to keep going. We also help them find sustainable employment or we help them get started in business. Some other charities do the same or offer retreats.
Fellow Americans, please take some time on May 30 to remember our fallen warriors and to say a prayer for the loved ones left behind.
Thank you, Mark Baird