In the Past

Last night I went out dancing, and started chatting with one of my guy friends who had come out. He brought up a recent Facebook status that I'd put up for Veteran's Day. It said that I'm "so thankful to the veterans. During WWII, you saved my grandfather, and thus I am alive. Thank you!"

My friend informed me that he had deleted that from his minifeed since it wasn't relevant. "It's in the past!" he exclaimed. "Regardless of what happened in World War II, you would still be alive in some form."

Seriously? Are you kidding me?? My grandfather was a Holocaust survivor who had everyone in his family except his brother die at the hands of a popular madman and his sick ideals. History by its definition is in the past. That's a given. But to say that it isn't relevant and that it doesn't matter since I'd be here anyway? Not acceptable.

There is no guarantee that I would be here in some other form. The fact is that I am alive because America decided to step up and sent their soldiers to stop a hideous war and free prisoners being kept in horrible death camps. Considering the millions of lives lost, I refuse to take my own for granted.

If my life now is relevant, then the circumstances that allowed me to exist are relevant and always will be.

~K