November 2009

An Old Man, An Old War
November 11, 2009: Central Baptist Hospital dedicated a Veteran's Memorial Statue outside the hospital this past Sunday, honoring those who have served in the nation's military. The thing that stood out to me most about this event, and the pictures that I got from it, was the contrast in ages. The elderly veteran below was there in a wheel chair, while the little girls at the bottom of the page played with the decorative American flags. The irony is, that the man in the wheel chair, and the spirit of the man inside the bronze statue, served their country for those little girls, and all the children and grandchildren of this country.

When I see photos from Section 60 at Arlington National Cemetery, which has been dubbed "The Saddest Acre in America," it reminds me of how relevant war is. Section 60 is relevant to me because it's a burial ground for U.S. military personnel killed in Iraq and Afghanistan, a place that epitomizes the honor of service and the cost of war. It's relevant because that's my generation laying at rest there, and the wives and girlfriends who are laying on top of those graves crying are girls that are my age. It's easy to look at the gentleman below and think of him as an old man who fought in an old war, like World War II, or Korea, or even Vietnam. But at one point in time, he was an innocent child, just like these little girls.

 

I don't know if the little girls and the man in the wheel chair even crossed paths on this day. And if they did, I doubt the girls really understood what he did for them some 60 years ago. But in time they will understand. But for those of us who understand now, whether its our war, or an old war like his, we all need to appreciate and be grateful for the sacrifice.

 

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