Memorial Day - Our Freedom
 | Author:
Ellie West, Certified NLP Coach/Practitioner Of Hypnosis and Timeline Therapy
Inside Inspiration: Certified NLP Coach/Practitioner Of Hypnosis and Timeline Therapy |
Memorial Day - Our Freedom Ellie West Certified NLP Coach/Practitioner Of Hypnosis and Timeline Therapy As we celebrate Memorial Day, May 29, 2023, let us not forget those who have died in service to our country. Our military men and women made many sacrifices to give us the freedom we now enjoy and to maintain it for over 200 years.
I have been thinking about my Dad and the sacrifices he made during his lifetime. I am not clear on the date that my Father was drafted, but I believe he was drafted in 1940, as it was during the time he served through the CCCs.
He was one of the young men who, while on Corregidor Island, was ready to depart for the Hawaiian Islands when the Japanese Army captured him on May 6, 1942. He had spent one thousand two hundred and fifteen days in a prison camp until his release on September 2, 1945.
The young men knew they would be in the prison camp in Yokohama, Japan, after being captured, for some time. Their mindset saved most of them as I remember my Dad telling us how they encouraged each other - just six more months…hang in there, just six more months. This proved to be more doable in enduring the trauma that they had all experienced.
As an adult, I can’t even fathom what that must have been like to experience such trauma early on in life. I am so grateful that God saw fit to spare his life, as without his life, I wouldn’t be here.
It was difficult growing up in our household, as it seemed almost daily that we would hear about horror war stories. Stories that I didn’t quite understand at the time. There was much anger, bitterness, sadness, disappointments, and trauma that I believe he was dealing with, and to release those negative and unhealthy thoughts, he expressed them to us, mostly during dinner.
As I look back now, I have nothing but compassion for him. It has taken many years to fully understand (and maybe I still don’t) his actions, behaviors, and mental, physical, and spiritual state. But, I also realize that there was something so profound inside of him that was pure, generous, and kind.
At times his exterior was abrasive and harsh, and his words hurtful - but I could always see the tenderness and softness of his heart. Little House on the Prairie would bring tears to his eyes.
He was strong, resilient, honest, and wise. He had great integrity and taught me to have a great work ethic. He always wanted to do what was right, even if it meant sacrificing monetary gain. He aspired to become a doctor but never really pursued his dream as he never felt he had the means, and he often mentioned that he just had an 8th-grade education.
It wasn’t until he was on his deathbed that we learned so much more about his upbringing and the war. We asked Mom why he hadn’t shared some parts of his life until now. She told us that he wanted to protect us from the horrific trauma he had experienced.
The one story I remember hearing is how Dad would leave the valves on his acetylene and oxygen bottle open just a little at night. The following morning his gas would be gone. After a while, his “Honcho” (Boss) asked him why his bottles were always empty in the morning, but the Honcho’s bottles were not. Dad would then slip over and open the Honcho’s valves so his bottles were also empty each morning.
Dad eventually got caught and was punished and had to stand completely nude with his hands tied to a post and a gun to his head for 24 hours. I can’t even wrap my head around the humility that he must have felt. Hearing such stories has opened my eyes to seeing things through a different lens.
As you remember your loved ones this memorial day, lean in with compassion and kindness as many of them have seen, heard, or felt things most of us will never see, hear or feel.
May we be grateful for the freedoms we enjoy, and may we continue to celebrate Memorial Day! Let us honor and remember those who have died in service to our country and their families who have also made sacrifices. Let us also remember those who survived but who carry the physical and emotional scars of war.
“Our flag does not fly because the wind moves it. It flies with the last breath of each soldier who died protecting it.” ~Unknown
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