This Memorial Day weekend I think not only of those who gave all, but those who returned home to us in the flesh yet left so much of themselves and their sanity upon the battlefield. They are the ones whom society has ignored as they continue the battle within their minds, often in shunned silence.
These thoughts resonated as, perhaps appropriately enough, Sawyer Brown’s “Small Town Hero” came up in my playlist recently.
For those unfamiliar, here is one verse from the song:

“Andy went to Vietnam back in sixty-five
While some folks kept from going he kept some folks alive
A purple heart sits on his shelf that he never wears
A broken one sits in his chest for what he lost there

It was the life and times of a small town hero but it’s another day
He’s got his wife, his kids, a job and it’s okay
The letter from the President now, is just for show
He could have hid out way up north but he did not go”

(To hear the entire song, try this link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=crnwX41xIO0 )

So amid the burgers and brew this weekend, raise a glass to those who fell and a warm, thankful hand to those who need help to stand back up.