Re-membering

Remembrance Day / Veterans Day…red poppies and yellow ribbon to honor those who served and continue to serve, acknowledging far-reaching casualties seen and unseen. 

 Remembering and re-membering (as in pulling together those scattered parts of our souls to make whole again).  With his permission, I wanted to share a thoughtful Facebook post from October 13, 2012 by Garnet Rogers:

“Was talking with a couple of friends last night in Roanoke VA.  Both did hard time in the federal penitentiary system as conscientious objectors during the Viet Nam war.

They, along with tens of thousands of other young men, were placed in an untenable position...either to serve in what they felt (and history has proven to be) an illegal and unfair war, or flee the country and be labeled cowards, or to get tossed into the prison system and be labeled a coward AND a criminal. 

Those who went over served their country as best they could in their own way, and we have come in time, to properly honour their service to their country.  One of my veteran friends said to me he was overcome with emotion and gratitude the first time someone (another veteran) said "welcome home". 

I wonder if it isn't time to say publicly as well to these other men, the objectors, "welcome home"...and publicly honour the service and sacrifice they made, at such great cost.  They too are part of the cost of that war, and are also among the hidden victims.  Anyway...to my friends Gary and Tom...welcome home....and thank you for your service."   ~ Garnet Rogers

“Re-membering”, © 2012 Cathy Gazda, 7” x 5”, Acrylic on canvas panel.   ♥