Poppies
When my dad died four and a half years ago, I became an orphan. I was 46 years old, and it was hard. It’s still hard, but life, as it must, goes on.
Dad was a Navy veteran of World War II and Korea. Though not a day passes without him in my heart, Memorial Day and Veterans Day have taken on new meaning.
The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs says that 652,696 Americans have died in battle since the American Revolution. Another 539,639 American men and women have died during war. Their deaths are categorized as “Other Deaths (In Theater)” and “Other Deaths in Service (Non-Theater).”
That’s a total of 1,192,335 men and women. Roughly the population of Dallas, Texas.
We’re on the eve of the first long weekend of summer. In between the burgers and beer, the trips to Home Depot and breaths of sweet fresh air this long weekend, take a moment to look back. And go buy a poppy.