By Kim J. Clark Aka Expanding Love
Recently, in a conversation with a friend, the topic of trust came up. We move through our
days… responding based on, “historical data” so to speak. For example, if you tripped as a child
and those around responded with concern for your well-being, you tend to move through life
feeling safe and cared for. However, if those around you laugh and pointed fingers, and made
negative comments about you for not seeing the object you tripped over, you felt shame and not
cared for… you are likely to move through life feeling…not so good about yourself.
For this writer, the thought carried over to my work with veterans. Those who serve in the
military make a great sacrifice. As civilians we will never truly understand what they
experienced. However, this writer believes we have the responsibility to decide if we are
committed to helping veterans through the rough spots. We must commit to not baling out when
the going gets tough.
Am I suggesting you stay for abuse? Absolutely not. What I am suggesting is being committed to
helping a veteran through the rough spots.
Our veterans, warriors, do battle to ensure those of us who do not have their same fighting spirit,
their willingness to go into combat… enjoy living, laughing, sleeping, resting and having
freedom of speech, continue to live free.
We trust these brave individuals will die for us. This writer is of the opinion, these warriors
should be able to trust that the citizens of this nation are here to help them through the dark
moments, dreams, and whatever else they must forever live through.
This writer has talked to many citizens, who have never given a thought to the sacrifices made.
The number of people who do not care is mind boggling. My question to citizens at large is, will
we/you/I be committed to their healing? Are we committed to supporting them through
depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), military sexual trauma (MST) night terrors,
trauma from loss of limb’s…?
This writer asks the reader to ask themselves these questions
- Can our veterans trust me to have their well-being at heart?
- Am I willing to listen to a veteran “cry it out?’”
- Am I committed to holding a silent sacred space for this person?
- Am I willing to learn a different way of communicating?
What can I do/learn to be of support in a situation I don’t really understand?
- Am I committed to expressing love and compassion to those who are willing to lay their life down so that I live free?
If you answered yes to any of these questions, we invite you to invest in our mission to, “Save
Veteran Lives.” Please visit our website, come out to our bowling fundraiser, help with financial,
clothing and donations of furniture. Thank in advance for your generous support. Kim J. Clark.
Kim is the mother of a veteran who loved his country and was willing to lay his life down for the
freedoms he believed in. She is the Founder and CEO of The DeMarco Project, Non-profit
organization. Her life’s mission it to save veteran lives and improve the quality of life for
traumatized military service persons. If you would like to support her in the work, donations are
welcome. Visit the website: www.TheDeMarcoProject.org.
The articles featured here are published in the Detroit Native Sun http://www.detroitnativesunonline.com.
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