Serving one’s country is an honorable thing. Dying for one’s country is the ultimate sacrifice one can make. On this Memorial Day, I salute all the military service people who gave their lives to keep America, the home of the brave, free and to their families for their loss.
Having said that, an alarming trend is the increased number of veterans and active duty service members who are dying due to suicide than in battle. Consider what this group went through or is going through, it reminds me the saying, “dying is easy, it’s living that scares me to death.”
To honor our military service people, we need more than lip service. Rather we must uphold our commitment to them and exercise compassion in understanding their specific needs. Whether it be re-integration, housing, jobs, or healthcare, we owe them the opportunity to get back on their feet.
Know any military service member or veteran in need? Call the Veteran’s Crisis Hotline at 9-8-8 and visit https://www.veteranscrisisline.net/ to learn more.
Running with Buddha 