Since our son’s time in the Marine Corps, I’ve been blessed. Through my books, speaking and this blog, I’ve had a lot of opportunities to speak to and with other military moms and families. Other military families have shared parts of their journeys with me as they’ve coped with the specific trials of a loved one in the military.
No matter how many military families I talk to, one thing keeps rising to the top. Most of us have a similar story. Very few had an easy path to travel. Instead we traveled a circuitous path full of bumps and detours. Frequently the lives of military families are littered with times of fear and painful separations. But along with these struggles comes the sweetness of the triumphs.
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That sometimes tortuous path has made each us stronger. Beyond that, it has made us able to reach back and help others just starting their journey. That’s one of the most precious things about being a military mom—the community that I’m now a part of.
As Memorial Day gets closer, my thoughts and prayers turn to those who’ve made the ultimate sacrifice and the families they’ve left behind. For those families, their path through the military life didn’t turn out like they expected. But even there, I’ve seen the fruit that has come through their time of loss.
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These gold star families do so much for those still serving and for our veterans. They’ve started 5k races to raise money for disabled veterans. They’ve begun programs to help the children of these fallen heroes with college expenses.
They work quietly, behind the scenes, making sure that the sacrifice of the men and women in our armed services is never forgotten. This Memorial Day, honor them by remembering all who were called on to pay the ultimate price.
