HOSTS OF WITNESSES

I spent a quiet, pensive day yesterday remembering relatives and friends who were in service . . . thanking God for everyone serving now -- and for veterans who live amongst us with wounds that are visible, or not . . . reflecting on wars and on the elusiveness of true peace. In the afternoon as I drove to my grandson's school on the gloriously sunny day, I was gently distracted from my reverie by vistas that were trimmed with beautiful flourishes of the vibrant red, yellow and orange autumn hues on the trees covering the Cherokee foothills of the southern Appalachians. The loveliness soothed my heart, assuaging the dull ache that Veterans Day evokes for so many people.

As baby boomers, we were subjected to the remembrance of World War II and the Korean Conflict was initiated around the time that many of us were born.  When my brother, sister and I visited our grandparents' homes, the photos of uncles in uniform stood framed and proudly displayed on dresser tops, but we heard no war stories about them.  The agonies they had faced were kept from us, though we were aware of a prayerful gratitude that they were all still alive. 

The terror of the threat of nuclear war was shocking from the moment I became aware of it at the age of nine and a half during the Cuban Missile Crisis.  But baby boomers, as well as the people of our parents' and grandparents' generation dealt with many levels of collective traumatic stress. 

I have a memory of a panicky desire to somehow try to help keep the Cold War from becoming "hot." We practiced sitting on the floor of our elementary school hallways facing the lockers during civil defense drills.  Our teachers helped us prepare to walk home to our little village on a lake in northern Illinois along the busy highway that our bus normally drove on to bring us back and forth.  Most American baby boomers have similar recollections.

During a high school history class I first became cognizant of the war in Southeast Asia, and my heart was used to the feelings of grief associated with the horrors of the wars and other atrocities of the mid-20th century.  Soon everything we had learned about war as children became more concrete when the boys we knew became vulnerable to the draft -- our brothers, our cousins, our friends.  

Maybe one of the reasons I can never get into buying lottery tickets has to do with the association of "lottery" with the way the Selective Service operated from 1969-1975 because of the war in Southeast Asia.  

(Welcome home.)

Of course despite the war protestors, not every young man who was drafted was unwilling.  And there were also many volunteers who served in the US military in that era.  Since then some of us, some of our children and even some of our grandchildren have become veterans.  We have moved into a new millennium, but the violence of wars and conflicts have continued.
 
 As we came of age, our generation witnessed and participated in other struggles and social upheavals, too . . . the strife of the civil rights movement, protests against the war . . . conflicts related to the women's liberation efforts.  US military members in uniform were at times involved in some of these struggles, too, at times with great controversy.

Maybe after reading this you won't be surprised that I couldn't sleep at all last night.  Reflections led to renewed grief over memories, but I was also led to hope and to be grateful.  For one thing, I happened to watch part of a BBC news report on responses to the dreadful loss of life and damages caused in the Philippines by the typhoon a few days ago.  Much needed aid is pouring in from all over the world, of course.  Both the US and Great Britain are sending naval ships to help support the relief efforts.  That is nothing new, but sometimes positive acts are chronicled less often in the media than are disasters and scandals. 

Veterans and active duty military members have served or serve in many ways that a many civilians might not even realize.  And the families of military members serve, too.  Not that they want extra recognition.  In my experience, people who take the oath to serve our country are humble and dedicated.  They are committed to their countrymen and to their fellow service members.  Whether they serve on active duty during wars and conflict or in peacetime, duty and honor are under girded by a kind of passionate commitment.  Their not perfect and I am not trying to glorify them.  I just want to share some insights from my experiences and perspective.
 
All told, I just think it's good we take time aside on Veterans Day . . . and on Memorial Day . . . and at any other time we want to recognize and appreciate the people who willingly and lovingly serve or have served our country.  

In so many ways, it's the least we can do.