A SAD FIRST
Deanna Gorzynski 5/28/07
Every Memorial Day since my grown children were small we would attend our local Memorial Day Parade.
Not for the pomp and pagentry…not for the music…but for our Veterans. When my children where young they made a poster each year that said “THANK YOU, VETERANS” . Since the kids are older now, I have, until this day, done so myself. We were the only people holding such a sign and the Veterans loved it and always commented. Last year one woman I know whose mother was married to a WWII Vet until he died, said I brought tears to her eyes.
I always attended with mixed emotions. I saw the crowds to the left
and right of me smiling, laughing and enjoying that celebration as
though it were a party…seemingly oblivious to the real meaning of
Memorial Day. I have always wanted to shout “How can you all be so
happy?! This is a Mass Funeral of a type…shut up and show respect!” I would remain somber and hold in the well of tears inside. I am a bereaved
parent, and while my 4 year old died of a brain tumor, not war, I am
keenly aware of the cost to a family of the death of a loved
one…particularly a child.
This is the first year I did not,
could not attend. I would have if it was only the Veternas on parade.
This year I could not face the Little League, the Girl Scouts, the
historic cars, the marching bands and the hoopla they recieve.
Mostly
I refused to see members of the local Democratic Party and Republican
Party sitting in their cars smiling, waving flags and proudly showing to which party they belong. I know these are locals, who probably have
little to do with any of the governmental horror we see these days. But
still, I could not look at them.
So this year, instead of holding
my Thank You and then delivering it to the VFW, I will simply deliver
it to the hall to greet our Veterans when they return from the parade.
Veterans and active servicepeople, be assured that our respect remains with you, just not with the empirical government that our military now represents.
How very sad.