I had the opportunity to see the George W. Bush paintings at EPCOT recently.  The display includes portraits of Veterans, painted by former president Bush, and seeing them was amazing.  The faces were haunting at times but very powerful.  There isn’t much information about the subjects of the paintings, but the faces of the Veterans still touched a part of me.  Their courage in serving our country can never be forgotten.   There is a part of being courageous that is all about happiness. 

As I looked at the portraits of the Veterans on the walls, I had to think about the courage that it takes to join the military.  Putting your life of the line to fight for your country includes the realization that you could give your life for the job that you do.  That has to be the ultimate act of courage.  To put yourself in harm’s way for something you believe in is a selfless act.  How many people put others first?  From where I sit, not many people are willing to make that sacrifice.

Our Veterans make sacrifices on so many levels.  They experience trauma and struggle to find happiness at times when they return home.  Many have trouble managing memories of events, and how those events changed them as they return home to their families after deployment.  I have been working with military members and their families since 1996.  Veterans make the sacrifice, but their families pay a price as well.  Veterans live the trauma, but their families experience the aftermath. 

As you think about our military members, consider other events of courage, maybe even in your life. Having the courage to make hard decisions can make you stronger.  Having courage to choose a path that could put your life at risk is hard.  Having the courage to live a life of service can have a profound affect on your happiness.  Having the courage to live for the future can be a struggle, but it doesn’t make the choice any less important. 

As I reflect on visit to the exhibition at EPCOT, I think about the many patients that I have supported through the years.  I think about the Veterans, but I also think about their families, and others who experience trauma events.  Their courage to manage those events and to find some happiness again gives me hope for myself and the world.  People go through pain and suffering but come out to the other side with as much peace as they can muster.  Life isn’t perfect, but it takes courage to find a life with some happiness, no matter what you have been through.

If you have the opportunity to see former president Bush’s exhibit, I highly recommend it.  His paintings are meaningful and humbling, but they represent a part of our population that may still be hurting.   Veterans continue to have a higher suicide rate than the general population, and despite the efforts of the VA, the levels remain high.    If you have the opportunity to reach out to a Veteran, please consider offering support.  Some Veterans struggle to accept support, but we can still try.  Others managing trauma also need support.  You may be the difference between a person feeling sad or finding hope.  We all want to be happy, but sometimes it’s harder to be happy, for life.