Ths image speaks for itself.........pure joy.
Today I am thankful for all of the soldiers who died trying to protect me from losing my freedom. It makes me so sad that we have to wage war on each other in order to maintain peace, but it is what it is. I know as a mother of two that one of the last things on earth I would want my children to experience is war, but I also know that this is a possibility....being a mother to Jack.
I watched him play today......intently. I thought about how much I love him. When I really, truly allow myself to feel how much I love my kids....it hurts. It is a literal, physical ache.....as if I can't even bare it. And then my mind led me to a very dark place........to all of the mothers who have to watch their sons take off in an airplane to the dreaded desert, and I flinched. I couldn't rap my head around it. All I could do was sit in silence and pray for them, for all of them.
It's ironic that we celebrate the day by grillling delicious food and spending time at the lake or pool with our family and friends, while thousands of very young men and women are away from their families....sweating (and dodging) bullets in the desert and missing their loved ones. My eyes filled with tears a few times today when I thought about all the people who have died for me. For my family. For my friends. And the saddest part of the day was that I realized that this was the first Memorial Day that I have ever really felt the spirit of the day. I've spent 3o years celebrating this day in typical Americana fashion....food, drinks, family, friends, parties, fun, ......but this year felt different. I guess its because some of my freedoms have been taken away from me recently, and I now truly realize the value of living in a free country. I love my freedom. I love this country. And I love every single man and woman who has ever fought for it, deeply.
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