I am giving thanks today for freedom. At the risk of dating myself, in high school I diligently wore a copper bracelet, engraved with the name of a soldier who was MIA in Viet Nam. I haven't thought about that for years, and I, like a million other kids, never found out the outcome of that soldier. It was a fad.
I believe that we take for granted freedoms that we enjoy every day. Do we know how many soldiers have paid the ultimate price, of giving their lives for our freedom? For the Iraq Conflict alone, since the beginning in 2003 to May 28, 2010, there have been 4404 USA Military deaths, and 31,827 wounded. In visiting our local cemetery and the cemetery in the town just west of mine, I found a handful of veteran grave markers. All wars and conflicts were represented, as well as all branches of service. My heart was touched as I wandered through these cold, quiet places where we bury our loved ones. With it being the weekend after Veterans Day, some of the markers donned flags. I noticed that some flags were bright and new. Other flags were faded, well worn, with tattered hems, not unlike the spouses that have faithfully decorated the graves.
"It is easy to take liberty for granted, when you have never had it taken from you." Author Unknown
I sincerely hope that we will show gratitude to our soldiers and that honoring them is not a fad. I hope that my children and my grandchildren will never be without freedom and liberty. I also hope that as a nation, we may give the highest honor to those who fought to give us this gift. I give thanks to them.
"As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them." John Fitzgerald Kennedy
