Memorial day

Day 817 - it's the eve of our memorial day. Unlike many other countries where they commemorate fallen soldiers of forgotten wars thus there is no real connection of most of the citizens to the magnitude of the day and that which it represents, here we are still at war, 65 years after we got our independence we still have to fight for our right to live as a free nation in our country and soldiers die all the time. In wars, in border clashes, in terrorist attacks and in training. we are still a nation that lives only because it can protect itself. It is a very sad reality and with relief in sight. When I was a little girl my grandmother used to tell me that by the time I'll be old enough to go to the army there will be no army, I still have this picture burnt into my memory. Now I am 55 years old and my youngest daughter is already out of the military service and I am not that naive to think that her kids will not have to be soldiers one day. For many years I lived abroad, not willing to take part in this collective fate we have as a nation. But as time passed I realized, that like in a Greek tragedy, one cannot escape his fate, one cannot turn his back on his people and expect to live peacefully. I live here now for almost three years; I already went through the experience of one big military operation, ready for a full blown war that luckily never came. And I can say without any doubt - I am so thankful I took this step and came back to my homeland. Wars, financial difficulties, social problems, corruption... I don't care! it is all part of the life I embrace here once again. I am at peace and if anything will happen to me tomorrow I will die a happy woman, For I have found what I was missing for so many years, I have found the connection between me and the collective soul of our nation; I have found my home again. And so today, I am standing and commemorating our fallen soldiers thanking all the men of our country who fought in all these endless wars, my boyfriend included, for their courage and sacrifices. This is what brought us to this day. It breaks my heart to think of all the lives that ended before they had time to blossom; of lives that changed for ever of their families, of the wounded soldiers. I think of all of them today and I thank each and every one of them. I always tell my daughter, we all have to serve in the military and the fact we all did that give us the moral strength and the ability to stand today tall and proud when we hear our national anthem and the sirens going through every village and town. We are a free nation and we are ready to pay the ultimate price to make sure our children and grandchildren will be able to say the same.

I am thankful to be here on this day and to stand tall with tears in my eyes, proud to belong to this nation. I am thankful for every quite day, for every moment of peace, for the amazing country we all created here. I am so thankful I can include myself now in this collective We.