Yesterday was Veteran’s Day. Today is the day after. When we send our love ones off to war, we must deal with the inevitable. There is a real possibility that our soldier will not return. Throughout the ages people have been sending their sons and daughters off to war. For each person, the reality of war which is death, comes home to roost the day after. Death is so foreign to us. It isn’t a part of our overall life, although it really is. If it was part of our lives, why do people mourn so much when a person dies? The pain and suffering that we experience tell us that we aren’t prepared for death. Yet death is the ultimate expression of our love and commitment. Military medals were invented to give to families of soldiers who gave their lives in battle. In the US Army during the Civil War, the medal was a red ribbon, the red badge of courage. Death seems to be one of our constant companions. So how do we deal with something as foreign as death? In 2004, our second son joined the US Army and went to war. The US was still in a shooting war. He was an infantryman. So, we knew that he was going to be in the middle of the fighting. The possibility of him dying in a foreign country shook both of us. We didn’t want to upset him, so we smiled until he left for war. My wife and I came to the understanding that our son could die walking across the street or in a foreign country. We knew that he was in the hands of God, no matter where he was. And we had to trust God for his life. We began to pray and God gave us peace about his situation. He now lives by us. He grew up over there as do all people who go to war. We are thankful to God for our son’s life. We are now prepared, somewhat, for death, on the day after.
Joseph1637/Crain Blanchard 