The Weight Too Heavy to Carry Alone

The Weight Too Heavy to Carry Alone By Matthew Carr, Chief Trend Strategist, Tactical Trend Investor Hey Reader, “Why do you insist on cleaning everyone’s plates?” I asked. Picking the last bit of gristle off his wife’s and popping it in his mouth, he replied, “I made a promise when I made it home – any food that touched a plate, I’d never let go to waste. You’ll never experience hunger like you do during war.” True to his word – at every meal, he was the last to leave the table. And he only did so after cleaning every plate in sight. Sometimes, he’d be there for a very long time – especially if it had been a large meal… or a particularly bad one. He’d served multiple tours in Vietnam. His new bride – still with him decades later – wrote to him at least once a week while he was gone. She wrote important things… beautiful things… inane things… anything. She believed as long as she kept sending him letters – as long as she believed he was there to open them – he’d stay alive. And some of her letters arrived long after he’d been sent home. He never wrote back once. “I couldn’t,” he explained. “As soon as I thought about her… as soon as I thought about the outside world… that was it. I’d never make it back.” But she didn’t hold a grudge. “He did what he had to do to survive. And I did what I had to do,” she told me with a smile. It’s hard to imagine it’s been nearly half a century since the Vietnam War ended. And since then, there’s been Lebanon, Grenada, Panama, the Gulf War, Somalia, Afghanistan, and Iraq. Odds are each of our lives has been touched by someone close to us that has served – a brother, a sister, aunt, uncle, mother, father, friend, neighbor. And to each and every one of them – to all who have served – I want to extend my personal thanks. I hope you’re having a relaxing Memorial Day. But beyond the barbeques, the long weekend, and shaking hands with veterans, I want to share another tradition I have for this holiday. That is… every year, I read Tim O’Brien’s The Things They Carried. The book is a series of short stories about a platoon of American soldiers during the Vietnam War. It’s based on the author’s own experiences in the 23rd Infantry Division. And he wrote it because he felt so many didn’t understand the war and what the soldiers went through. He’s right. Most of us have never fought in a war. And unfortunately, our views of it are often tinted through Hollywood’s lenses. We never truly understand the weight of war… both figuratively and literally. Because it’s not just pocket knives, can openers, C-rations, ammunition, guns, and canteens of water that have weight to them. There are letters from home, love, loss, pain, guilt, fear, hunger, and shame. For every physical load, there’s an emotional and psychological one inexorably heavier. That’s something to recognize and remember. And small gestures can go a long way to help lighten the load of those that carry so much, even long after the fighting stops. Again, thanks to all those who served and are serving. And thanks to those at home doing what they can to make sure they come back safe. Sincerely, Matthew   You are receiving this e-mail at {EMAIL}, as part of your subscription to Inside Money Morning. To remove your email from this list, [unsubscribe here](. Please do not reply to this email as this address is not monitored. To cancel, or for any other questions or requests, please contact our Customer Service team: Online: [Customer Service Form]( Phone: 888-384-8339 (North America) 443-353-4519 (International) Mail: Trading Today Premium | Attn: Member Services | 1125 N Charles Street | Baltimore, MD 21201 Fax: 410-622-3050 Our Customer Service team is available Monday - Friday between 9:00 AM and 5:00 PM ET. © 2023 Money Map Press. All Rights Reserved. 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