Featured image: “The National Guard” by Oklahoma National Guard

With Memorial Day coming upon us, I find myself getting into deep thought as I think about the men and women who lost their lives fighting for what they believed to be valuable. I have never known anyone who has died in battle, or anyone who’s lost someone in battle, so I don’t have any sort of emotional connection to this holiday. And if you’re in the same boat as me, have you ever stopped and just wondered what kind of people they must have been? The kind of impact they left? What their loved ones remember them by? This is what I’ve been pondering.

A little while ago I wrote about my husband’s grandmother who passed away, and the legacy she left behind. While considering the lives of those who died during their military service, it brings me back to the legacy topic. It makes me think about the kinds of things they left behind; the things they would be remembered by – even if I didn’t personally know them. Incidentally, with my mind going farther away by the minute, this makes me ask the question “how would I want to be remembered?” Even though I’ve never known them, I can think of a few things that these men and women would most likely be remembered as, and character traits that I would also want to strive for in my own life.

1. Courageous.
   It doesn’t take a lot of thinking to know that these people had guts. It takes a special kind of someone to go into a task knowing that the outcome could be deadly. Yet, that did not stop them. They had the kind of courage that most of us dream of having, sometimes for just the tiniest situations. I will admit I do not consider myself a courageous person; I certainly lack some skill in this department. But, to have the kind of courage that these individuals had is honorable and, like them, I also want to strive to be courageous and be remembered as such.
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2. Giving.
   I consider this another “no-brainer” kind of trait for all those who gave their lives in service. These people literally sacrificed themselves for the benefit of others. Now there’s a word we don’t put to practical use very often: sacrifice. Our human nature is to strive for comfort, and our inclination is often towards the easy way of doing things. But, these people disciplined themselves to put others first; to do what may be harder for them in order to make it easier for others. Although I am not in military service, I like to think that I am in the service of people; I love to do volunteer work when possible (even if sometimes I complain about the actual work). Like them, I want to be remembered as giving and generous, and strive to help those in need by giving what I can.
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3. Wise.
   As previously stated, our human nature is to favor the easy way in most situations, even if it ultimately makes things harder for us. Sometimes it takes an incredible amount of maturity and wisdom to look ahead and opt for the right decision, which can sometimes mean the harder way. Although they met a deadly fate, these men and women were wise enough to know what was important, and wise enough to follow through with their values. They teach us what it’s like to make the tough choices, even when we may not want to. With their discipline and never-ending devotion they also teach us that the wisdom tank will never be full; there will always be more room to learn and more room to grow. And so, just like King Solomon, and like these men and women, one of the things I want most in the world is wisdom.
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4. Purposeful.
   Last, but certainly not least, my favorite trait that I find in these great men and women is purpose. These warriors had a purpose in their life, and they followed it all the way to the end. These men and women served a great purpose that maybe none of us will ever truly understand, and it is admirable to see how dedicated they were to fulfilling it. Some people know what their purpose is in life, while some may be in the process of finding it, but all of us have a purpose, nonetheless. As for me, I’ve come to know my purpose in my faith, and that part of that purpose is to strive to shine the light within the many dark places of this world in any way that I can. Like them, I want to be remembered as someone who fulfilled her purpose.

Live like them.

Many of us will never know what these soldiers went through, and many can’t even imagine it. Nevertheless, they left a great example for us to follow when it comes to being honorable human beings. The men and women who lost their lives in service did so while showing us how to be giving, courageous, wise, and purposeful. While you celebrate Memorial Day this weekend, consider all they had to teach us, and honor them in living out those teachings as best as you can. Have a happy Memorial Day! 🙂

By Nayadee Wilson