## The Gold Star Is About Love, Too
It’s easy to focus only on the tragedy represented by a Gold Star.
But there is another side to it.
Love.
Nobody grieves deeply for someone who meant nothing to them.
Behind every Gold Star family is a relationship.
A parent loved a child.
A spouse loved a partner.
A brother loved a sister.
A child love
d a parent.
The pain exists because the love existed first.
That is perhaps the most important thing to remember.
The Gold Star isn’t simply a symbol of death.
It is also a symbol of a life that mattered.
A person existed.
A person was loved.
A person served.
A person left behind memories that continue to live through others.
## We Should Be Careful With Other People’s Stories
The encounter with our neighbor taught me something I hope my child remembers forever.
You never really know what someone is carrying.
The cheerful cashier may have lost a parent.
The quiet teacher may be caring for a sick spouse.
The elderly man sitting alone may be remembering someone who isn’t there anymore.
The neighbor with the special license plate may have an entire story hidden behind a symbol that most people barely notice.
We don’t have to know every detail.
We simply have to be kind.
