I grew up with an understanding of what it meant for someone to be a Veteran. My parents met in a military hospital in Maryland; where my father served the last year of his military career, healing from his wounds; after returning home from Vietnam 100% disabled. He lost his eye, had shrapnel in his brain & was exposed to high levels of Agent-Orange; all in service to this country. His time at war was a great influence on his life & the loss of his eye made it so he would be reminded of it every time he looked in the mirror or met someone new. He was a deep thinker and spent a lot of his time thinking about/talking about his time in Nam. As much as my Dad spoke about his time at war, he also hid from the true level of it’s pain. He was a wild man and often used Alcohol as a way of escaping the things he didn’t want to think about or feel. He carried the wounds of his service for more then 40 years, only finding peace with himself and the actions he committed in the last 2 years of his life.
My father found his way to healing through interaction with the Spirit world. My abilities as a Medium come through his bloodline & I always knew he had the gift as well; even if he preferred not to acknowledge it. He hid from the Spirit world, mostly out of fear of who he would see. As a soldier, he had killed many people and those deaths weighed heavy on his soul. Much heavier then the atrocities he had seen committed by others.
When my Dad was visiting the year before he moved home, he attended an Individual Spirit Communication session I was doing. The experience was miraculous to him. He was overwhelmed with the realization that this was so real. He then spent a lot of time talking to me & my sister Sandy about the Spirit world. He began to explore the idea that he too had abilities to communicate with the Dead & he began to talk about his fear. Fear of facing those he had killed while at war. I explained to him that War is not the same as Murder. I asked him if he had died while in Vietnam, would he hold a grudge against the soldier who slayed him. His answer was absolute…NO! My father’s exploration of self and the Spirit world helped his soul to find peace. When his time of passing came, he was ready.
As a general rule, I am opposed to War… I see it as a money-eating, soul-destroying machine. That being said, I have complete support and respect for the men & women who make the sacrifice of serving. The taking of another’s life in War is not the same as Murder. On a soul level when someone commits Murder, they create a deep karmic riff between themselves and their victim. In War, a soldier is simply trying to survive and keep their companions alive. There is no deep-personal hatred between individual soldiers of apposing forces. I have spoken to many Spirits who were wounded or killed in war. They are not holding hatred toward the one who slayed them. In fact they most often do not think about the individual soldier that took their life. For in fact, they would have just as easily taken the life of the other if they had been the lucky one.
*photo Stahr Cabral
I have a personal draw toward soldiers in my healing work. Whenever they show up, I know before they have even gotten out of the car that they are veterans. I know this because my Dad will announce “This one’s mine, kid”. He is telling me from the Spirit world, that the person I am about to see is like him. Sensitive, wounded and hiding. This is a common thread with Soldiers who have served in war. They often feel like they are living with a Monster; one who is part of them ( I by no means see them as monsters). I have had more then one conversation with Veterans about their battle with self. Their friends and family welcome them home with love & appreciation, seeing them as Heroes. But many of them do not feel like Heroes in their heart and soul. They have to live with the wounds endured; to them personally, to their companions, and to the people they injured or killed. Their sacrifices do not end when they return home. They have to live with their actions for the rest of their lives & it is a heavy burden.
As a people we need to stand strong for Veterans rights and benefits. Those of us who have never had to serve or hold space for those who do (the families…parents, spouses & children), need to acknowledge the great sacrifices made by these people. This is not me being political, this is me being human. Take the time to thank a Veteran today & anytime that opportunity arises. Listen to their stories (even if you have heard them before) & hold space for their healing. It’s a long road back from War. I hope you have enjoyed the read Folks & a heart felt Thank you to all the Veterans out there. I bow to you in respect.
spreading love-salicrow