“Each man is a hero and an oracle to somebody.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson
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Today in the US we celebrate Memorial Day. First we honor our Veterans, those who have died in war, but we also honor anyone we love who has died. So we don’t have to be particularly patriotic to celebrate Memorial Day. It’s devolved into a day of cookouts and gatherings, and most people don’t go to the cemetery and place flowers anymore. But that’s probably OK because we can celebrate the lives of those who have passed on anytime.
Many of us who have attempted suicide believe, or believed at the time, that no one loves us, that no one would miss us after we were gone. Or, on the other hand, some of us attempted in order to punish people we love who have treated us poorly. Either way, we were misguided. No matter how rejected we feel, it is highly unlikely that there is no one who would miss us. And punishing those who have hurt us by dying is an act of anger that will only be met with anger we won’t be around to see.
Whether we’re in the US or not, let’s take Memorial Day as a day to reflect on what it means to live someone who has died – and realize the object of that love could have been us. No matter what our current state of affairs, it’s good we are alive to celebrate this day.
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