There are moments in life that sneak up on us. They happen when we’re not looking for them, when we’re caught up in everything else, noticing little and typically hurried.
And so it happened the other day. In a hasty shopping trip to Costco, we were rushing to get out the door, to the next store, home for naptime. On our way out, we made a quick bee-line for the public restroom tucked in the back corner of the building. I parked my cart and, 2-year-old on my hip, followed the signs to the women’s door.
But instead of hurrying in, something stopped me short. There on the wall, hung in the most careful and organized manner, was a display that made me catch my breath. About 9 feet high on the wall, the U.S. flag hung proudly, and beneath it was a 20-foot-long collage of photos and letters and news clippings, each telling a story about a fallen U.S. soldier and his or her service to our country. Striking young men and women in uniform, young and full of life.
There were neatly typed names and e-mails and letters, telling how special each of these men and women were, to their family, their community, their country. And pictures so full of emotion, the impact was visceral: A serviceman hugging his brother goodbye before deployment. Young children clinging to military parents, tears flowing freely onto dress uniforms. An article and photograph about a commercial jetliner, paused on the tarmac to unload the flag-draped casket of a fallen soldier. The solemn faces of passengers can be seen peering out the airplane windows as the soldier’s family received his casket.
And, perhaps most gripping, a picture of a young widow sleeping on a makeshift bed in front of her husband’s coffin, refusing to leave him the night before his funeral. The lighting is dark, her misery is so evident, and a fellow Marine stands in respectful watch in the corner of the photo. He stayed all night.
“Why cryin’ Mommy?” my 2- year-old asked. “Need Kleenex?”
I stood there, lost. Surrounded by boxes, overhead speaker banter, and the comings and goings of workers and customers, I felt stuck between the now-silly world of errands and weekend plans, and the devastatingly real loss of human life. I reached up to touch the pictures of those young faces, even though a sign asked not to do that.
So much talent, so much promise, so many kind souls gone from this world. Contemplating each face, I wondered about their families, their moms and dads, a sister or brother, their own children — the ones who go on without them now. They, and all of us, live in a world made better by these heroes, but live without them nonetheless.
I grieved the loss of these soldiers, but also lamented the fact that I was standing in a back hallway, in between the bathrooms and employee bulletin board. I wanted to shout, “Does anyone know this is here? Come look, each of you!” I wanted to thank The Wall’s creator, but felt sick about the location to which it was relegated. Why was this homage to our heroes tucked out of sight, out of mind? How many would never know of its existence, but would stand in quiet reverence if only given the chance? Why wasn’t it at the front of the store? Why didn’t every business have a similar display?
Perhaps it’s a reflection of how we all live our days, knowing deep down that deaths will continue, that our troops are still dying every day and every hour. But without constant reminders, photos or emotional stories, we keep on with our daily “stuff,” forgetting too easily those real faces, the loss and the anguish that exist during times of war.
This Veterans Day, let’s make real efforts to bring these heroes, both living and dead, to the forefront of our awareness. Don’t wait for the moment to sneak up on you, surprising you in a back hallway.
Take notice of our soldiers, our veterans and their families. Hear their stories and see their sacrifices. Attend a Veterans Day celebration and wave a flag high in the air. Shake a vet’s hand. No matter what, take time for gratitude.
Amy Fisher is a mom and small-business owner in Centennial. She is a mom, small-business owner, and proud American.
