Tough Weekend For New Gold Star Families

We all know one. I get it. I've lived it.

Now, six months later, before the totality of the loss has fully sunk in, the wound is beginning to be part of one's daily burden, comes another frenzy of contacts, invitations, honors and obligations. Duty, Honor...

Part support group, part of the healing process, yet somehow still surreal.
Plodding, stumbling, being inappropriate. Just trying to be there for a friend.
Cautioning against being sucked into a life of perpetual grieving or worse, perpetual parades and fanfare.

For every giving, loving, sharing encounter, there's an obligatory bitter, angry
one. Oppose the war; support the troops? How dare you!

I'd love to say just thank you and move on, but those days ended September 17, 2008.
Raise a glass to Josh.

My 1995 Memorial Day explanation.