Memorial Day and the Widow(er)s I Know

For so many across the United States, Memorial Day means bar-be-ques and family time, beer and a day off.  Memorial Day is a day that doesn't really touch some in the way that it does others.  And that's okay.  Because we should all find joy where we can, whether it's appreciating time with family or just relaxing on a Monday. 

But for the widow(er)s I know...it's different.

For the widow(er)s I know, it's a time of remembrance, 

thinking of what once was and will never be again.

For the widow(er)s I know, it's a time to look at pictures of people who were proud 

to do what they did, thinking of men (and women) who 

looked invincible in those photos.  And a reminder to us all that we aren't 

and that every moment should be appreciated.

For the widow(er)s I know, who may have lost a spouse another way...

it's a time of support, to show everyone who lost someone to war that they aren't alone 

and proof that no matter how our loss happened, 

compassion will always be our common bond.

For those of you who think you don't know someone who has been affected by war, think hard.  Because in this day and age - with grandparents who might still be living, parents whose friends might have served, and friends whose husbands have put their lives on the line - I would think that is almost impossible.  And that's why we should always be a comfort.

To the widow(er)s we know.

Widow Chick (aka, Catherine Tidd) is the owner of www.theWiddahood.com and the author of the upcoming memoir Confessions of a Mediocre Widow (Jan. 2014).  She is also a writer for The Denver Post's Mile High Mamas and a contributor to several books on grief and renewal.