Memorial Day: Dying So We Could Live
May 25, 2009 / 11:05 am • By Dr. Melissa ClouthierHow do you feel when someone saves your metaphorical hide? A co-worker covers for you, maybe. Your spouse softens a story that would make you look bad. A friend forgives what feels unforgivable. A doctor finds the cause of your child’s illness. You feel grateful and indebted.
And then, there are those who actually put their lives on the line for you and gave it. Most of these people you haven’t met, but you should.
Memorial Day is about gratitude and remembering the soldiers who sacrificed their lives to save yours. Was the sacrifice worth it?
What kind of life am I living that makes their death worth it? Those of us among the free and living often take for granted the time we have on this earth. We live as though the moments are cheap and expendable. We live as though what we have doesn’t matter.
We matter. Life matters.
There is a quote from Band of Brothers saying,”the only hope you have is to accept the fact that you’re already dead. …” That is true of all of us. If not today. If not tomorrow. It’s assured, that we’re all dead men walking.
And the life we have right now is because someone willfully marched toward death to give us a life of freedom and choices. And yet we live afraid.
It’s a myth that soldiers or winners or anyone going toward their future is unafraid. They live with fear like everyone else and govern it. They also know with more clarity, that life is incredibly short and should be lived with purpose and meaning while you have it.
Squandering life displays an incredible lack of gratitude to those who saved it. Take a risk and live life to the fullest.
Today, I’m profoundly grateful to the servicemen and women who have given their lives so I could live free and seek and pursue happiness my own way.
