But not if you only pretend! Shame on those people.
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I used to be a big Metallica fan and I can see where your gloomy feelings are coming from.
In my town there's a large veteran's cemetery with soldiers, sailors and Marines dating back to World War I. Every memorial day I get up early and I walk in between the rows silently acknowledging the fallen servicemen for their heroism and sacrifice. I've always been respectful when it comes down to the fallen and feel obligated to pay some tribute. It's not so much that I'm grateful that they fought for my freedom, but more so that I can relate to them. In which way, I don't understand exactly but I recognize the feeling of deep sympathy.
I guess in a way I look up to them as well. To have the strength to put aside all the joys they've ever known to pursue one goal knowing they had a good chance at not being able to see the outcome of their sacrifice.
To most Canucks, Memorial Day is nothing but some dead British Queen's birthday. It's also the first nice sunny weekend we get, so it marks the beginning of summer. Most Canadians spend it at the cottage fishing and getting drunk.
I do give a nod to the Americans if I remember, tho. They have our backs. I stand for (and sometimes sing) their anthem at airshows and sporting events, too.
Maybe it's the weather, or the cumulative grief for all the people I've buried in November. I just feel it more at this time of year. There's one, an American sailor who I've been missing terribly for over a decade. Strange how the grief keeps coming back, with or without a reason.
i consider myself lucky that it's not a depression. It's usually intense enough that I end up spending Remembrance Day alone, but it passes in a few days so I can get on with my life.
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