As with all things, we eventually tire of maintenance. I wasn’t expecting this for our nation but it does appear that at least one faction is tired of America. Last century, my century, saw America at her best while saving this entire world from Nazis, Imperial Japan and, finally, the communist threat of the Cold War. None of this was easy nor was it sparing of American lives. The sacrifice of my brothers in arms during all of these conflicts was both terrible and magnificent. You and I are free only because America stood ready to save our fellows in countries that had poorly prepared to save themselves or underestimated the cruelty of our fellow inhabitants of our planet.
Giving thanks today is not about the Pilgrims any longer. It is about those who perished saving our bacon all those forgotten years ago. History seems to be best at erasing horror from our minds. Were it not for Vietnam I would also have been open to forgetfulness.
For me, Thanksgiving is the petting of a kitten. You’re as likely to be playfully bitten as be understood for the sadness this holiday brings an old vet. It would be fine to do away with this holiday and save the travel and expense put out for people that don’t know what they are thankful for this day.
Then again, I wear combat on my sleeve each day. How much I would love to go back and change what happened but that is not possible. So, I say thank you to those who served in all of these necessary through greed and avarice wars that were totally unnecessary and cost millions upon millions of human lives, vital lives that would not see children born or grow old having done their best to support a community in which they would live and, hopefully, thrive. The laughter that will never be is what hits me the most. The smile, the chuckle, the warmth of a husband and wife looking down at their first born child.
I guess we should all be thankful but the pilgrims are the least thing we should be happy about. Or, perhaps I have grown too old to care much any longer?
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