Memorial Day from a Non-Military Kid

My name is Beth and I'm a new member of The Comfort Crew this year. I am loving this mission to support and comfort military kids, and learning so much about military families & the sacrifices they make for us. 

You see, I don't come from a military family. I don't have any inspiring, sad, or amazing stories to share (unless you count the hula girl/"Honolulu Jerry" tattoo my grandpa got during his four years in the Navy that has become a running family joke). I didn't know anyone who had lost a limb serving her country, or anyone who had to watch the birth of his baby girl on Skype. I didn't know anyone who had given his life to keep our country safe. Growing up, Memorial Day meant school was coming to an end and I'd be free for almost three months. I had no frame of reference beyond that.

I'm not writing this to tell you what Memorial Day means, did mean, or should mean. There are plenty of other blogs doing that. I'm not writing to make you feel guilty if you're not from a military family, or to inspire your irritation if you are. I'm simply writing to ask a favor of military and non-military families alike. Because before I began working at The Comfort Crew, I had no idea about the sacrifices military families make, the pain they face, or the stresses they bear time and time again.

So, my favor is as follows: to all the people who are like me and don't know about the military, please ask! Take the time to talk with the people around you about the holiday, and you may find out that your neighbors and friends were military children or relatives with remarkable stories to tell. Even more respectful than flying a flag is taking an active interest. You will be amazed how just having someone to listen and be aware can help alleviate some of the stress. You may even find out something more you can do to help. And to military families, speak up! There is a community of people around you who would love to connect and help, but have no idea how or why. Reaching out to them will help them to support you during difficult times. It is important to not isolate military families from the rest of the community as they deal with the challenges of military life, but it takes communication from both sides to bridge that gap.

 

And of course, we at The Comfort Crew would like to extend a huge thank you to all of our service men and women, and military families. We appreciate so much your dedication to our country!