We honor all our heroes.
We honor our military, especially the war dead,
the maimed, the traumatized.
And we honor the greater number,
the civilians killed or wounded.
We honor the other heroes, those who served
and even gave their lives resisting war.
We honor the conscientious objectors
who refused to participate.
We honor the protestors
who spoke out against violence.
We honor the negotiators
who sought better avenues.
We honor the leaders and planners
who created alternatives.
We honor citizens
who formed relationships across boundaries
to defeat the illusion of “them” and “us.”
We honor the saints
who prayed not for victory but for peace.
We honor them all. They all served.
They all sacrificed. They are all heroes.
May their memories be a blessing to us,
and stir us to join in the mending of the world.
__________________
Steve Garnaas-Holmes
Unfolding Light
www.unfoldinglight.net
November 11, 2020