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lakers
11-06-02, 06:43 PM
THE BRIGHT AND THE DARK SIDES OF VETERANS DAY

Those of you who have experienced combat know that there is both a bright and a dark side to Veterans Day. The bright side is the glowing pride that comes from participation, pride felt every time a friend, a co-worker, or a neighbor mentions Korea, Vietnam, Desert Storm, Panama, or Somalia. You can say quietly to yourself, "I was there; I was a player. I made a difference." You stand a little taller, as you well should. You pop your chest out a little farther, as you certainly are entitled to.

On the other hand, however, there is something dark felt on Veterans Day...a sadness that accompanies pride. It's the anguish of loss and the despair that arises from wondering if anyone remembers or cares what you did. Do people know the enormity of the price you and your comrades paid?

All of you veterans know what I am talking about. In some ways, you lost something, whether it was your childhood innocence, or irreplaceable months--or years--away from your spouses and children. Or maybe you lost something visible and tangible--a leg, an arm, your best friend.

Yes, you are a veteran and proud of it, but you paid a steep price for that distinction. You wonder, as you stand among the few people who still display the American flag or march in poorly attended parades, "How many Americans still remember? How many truly understand? How many really care?"