Home for the Holidays?
Tis the season to be jolly, or so many will say; but families of soldiers across the country wish that their sons, daughters, wives, sisters, husbands, brothers, mothers, or fathers, were home for the holidays. While many soldiers remain stationed in Iraq during the holiday season, some efforts were made to reunite troops with their families. Specifically, Sidney and Shaefer Peterson joyfully embraced their father upon his return to the states for the holidays. Shaefer states,
“It makes me very happy because its dangerous over there and we only got to talk to him once and a while, so it was hard to know what was going on and if he was even there.”
Sidney and Shaefer were given the ultimate gift this Christmas season, and that was to see their father after a year of separation.
While the holiday season will be filled with joy and family for the Peterson this year, other families across the country will have an empty seat at the table. In Vera Brittain’s memoir, Testament of Youth, she tells her story about the her experience with losing Roland on Christmas day. Expecting to see Roland and spend Christmas day with him, she was torn when she heard news of his death. She explains this phone call when she writes,
“I dashed joyously into the corridor. But the message was not from Roland but from Clare; it was not to say that he had arrived home that morning, but to tell me that he had died of wounds at a Casualty Clearing Station on December 23rd” (236).
Roland died two days before Christmas, and while Roland lie dead, Brittain waited for that phone telling of his return.
I think that Vera Brittain’s story and the Peterson’s story can be seen similarly. While the outcome was completely different, they both struggled and wished for the same things, and that was to have their soldier home for Christmas. With the holiday season approaching and reminders of Christmas everywhere, I can’t help but empathize with the families of soldiers. What is meant to be a celebration or family and love, is instead a reminder of pain and longing for many families across America. Some of these families have a soldier fighting overseas while others lost a soldier in combat. Whatever the case may be, their soliders’ are not home for the holidays. Too often society gets caught up in the excitement and stimulation of the holiday season. Still, it is important to remember the soldiers in families who are separated during this time. While cases like the Peterson’s are heartwarming and joyful, they are rare, and there are more soldiers separated then reunited. Therefore, just continue to remember the hearts and minds of the soldiers and families who are not together this time of year. Their sacrifice cannot go unnoticed.
“Soldiers Return to Nothwoods”
By: Elizabeth Fay
no date
Haley said,
November 24, 2009 at 9:26 am
I like that you mentioned the holidays in your post. I recently began talking to a friend from high school I haven’t talked to in years, and he is currently stationed in Iraq. He will be coming home for two week leave for Thanksgiving and it amazes me that he has been overseas for so long. I can’t imagine how his family feels about him coming home. I thought about the people overseas since I have been in contact with him. I think about the people that have to stay away from their families for months at a time. I think about the people that miss out on life’s happenings while they seem to be stuck in this time warp that war creates. I think about the people that have died.
“Too often society gets caught up in the excitement and stimulation of the holiday season. “
I totally agree and it’s almost used by some to blot out the bad and only focus on the good (very Tralfamadorian of them).
Comments « Gee!! I wish I were a Man! said,
November 24, 2009 at 9:44 am
[...] 9. http://thebore44.wordpress.com/2009/11/22/home-for-the-holidays/#comment-13 [...]
Krystal said,
November 25, 2009 at 2:35 am
I agree it’s horrible to think of all the women and men who have to go overseas for the Holidays. I liked that you referred back to Vera Brittain loosing Roland two days before Christmas. For a lot of families the Holidays can be a hard time in itself but adding the horrible news that a love one has been killed would completely destroy the holiday season. However, it’s not only Christmas that the soldiers miss but a lot of times it’s the birth of their child, a funeral for a loved one, and many more important things. The soldier probably has a really hard time being away during the Holidays but the families have it really hard as well; especially, if they have children. For example, my four year old cousin sat on a Santa’s lap last year and when asked what she wanted for Christmas she said “my dad to come home.” That broke her mother’s heart to hear. We need to remind ourselves that thousands of people are deployed during this Holiday season and they should know that we have not forgotten about them.
olsonre said,
November 25, 2009 at 4:24 pm
I think you are right. So often families that have members serving in the armed forces do not receive any notice during this season. It is so important that they are not forgotten and that people remember to thank them for their sacrifices for the betterment of the world. We all know what it is like to lose someone that we love and each holiday season highlights that lose in my own life. Everyday we have reminders of someone that we loved and lost or someone that is not possible to see because they are on the other side of the world. This is not always a season full of joy. I heard on the news this past Monday when a Grandville teacher was killed on his way to work. Someone had been drinking and was driving down the wrong side of the East Belt Line in Grand Rapids. The person responsible for the crash was lucky enough to survive the crash, but the victim was that teacher and his family. They will be struggling to find things to be thankful for this Thanksgiving and holiday cheer will be scarce. There are hundreds more everyday that lose someone and can empathize with the families of soldiers.