Assisting Combat Veterans "When Sorrows Come . . ."

“When sorrows come, they come not single spies, but in battalions” (Shakespeare’s Hamlet).

Memorial Day is a somber day for most combat veterans. Pain, sorrow, and grief combined with an intense desire to never forget those who paid the ultimate sacrifice.

Combat veterans may experience today as if stuck between two worlds. 

Memorial Day is a day off, the unofficial start to summer, and a day to connect with family and friends.

A lighthearted day of celebration.

Memorial Day is also a day to remember, visit gravesites, say the names of the fallen, and a day to connect with those who “were there.”

A heavy day of remembrance.

I wonder how you can assist your combat veteran clients in holding both of these experiences? How can they stay connected with both worlds—the lighthearted day celebration and the heavy day remembrance?

It seems important to stay connected with both.