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Memorial Day: a Time of Reflection

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Part 2: Remember the Living

Why? A war is just as much about the survivors as it is about the honored dead. It is the survivors, after all, who continue to tell the stories of the bravery of those soldiers who died for their country and for what they believed in. And it is the survivors who can pass on the lessons they have learned to future generations.

One of the most famous quotes ever about war is this one: "War is hell." This was first uttered by American Union General William Tecumseh Sherman during the American Civil War. It accurately sums up the wartime experience.

The men and women who have survived the American wars of the 20th Century are valuable resources. They have stories to tell and memories to share. They have seen the hell of war up close. They have seen their friends and family members die for their country. The survivors are the ones who have lived to continue the legacy of the soldiers who fought before them.

So yes, Memorial Day is a day to remember the men and women who were killed in American wars. But it also a day to honor the soldiers who survived those dreadful wars and to listen and record the stories they tell. They are a living testament to the desire of the American people to continue the cause of freedom.

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