In the past, many of my family have served this great nation.
Currently, my niece serves in the US Navy.
I don’t know what the future holds, but I wouldn’t be surprised if more of my family answered the call.
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Tomb_of_the_Unknowns.jpg
I’ve been fortunate that none of my loved ones have ever lost their lives in the line of duty. But there have been many,
. too many,
. who have fought,
. and bled,
. and died
so that I, and all of us, could hold up our heads proudly and say,
“I am American, and I am free!”
There are no words of thanks adequate to them or their families.
. There is no show of unity to express my solidarity.
. There are only my prayers, and my undying gratitude.
.
Happy Memorial Day
Thanks for this Staci! We’re honoring my dad today on the USS Intrepid in New York. He made it through WWII and Korea.
Wow, Rick! What an honor! I’m humbled that your father fought for us not once, but twice, and I’m so glad that he returned home both times. Please add me to the list of people celebrating his accomplishments today, and pass on my thanks for his years of service. Thanks for sharing his story here with us.
It’s a shame that most Americans only remember our active military and veterans on these holidays. It would be nice if we thanked them every day. Just a thought.
When I lived in Ohio, I lived by WPAFB. I saw so many active and retired military professionals, and I thanked them often. In fact, when I taught, I often sounded like a parrot taking roll on the first day of class, saying “Thank you for your service” and “Welcome home” to the men and women who mentioned having served overseas before returning to pursue their degree. Living in Arkansas, I don’t see many service professionals, so I don’t really get the chance to pass on my gratitude, unless I do it online, like I’m doing today. But you’re probably right, in general, as a country, we could do a better job of saying “Thank you” more than a few times a year. Thanks for the reminder, Michele.
Great post, Staci. I am also grateful to those who have served.
Blessings,
Joan
Thanks Joan. I think many of us share that sentiment. I appreciate you dropping by to share it here.