- November 11 in the U.S.A. is Veterans Day. People decorate the graves of former members of the armed forces, hold commemorative programs and march in (or watch) parades. But why? Aren't the media constantly degrading our military, featuring vehement protests against any and all martial activity?
- Put in the most elementary terminology, the armed forces are composed of people; more accurately, of individual persons; men and women who are as alive as you and me; folks who want to live, who have dreams and hopes, who can feel joy and pain just like the rest of us. What makes these individuals special? At some time, for some reason, each and every one of them signed a paper and took an oath to stand in the gap between us (you and me) and disaster, even at the peril of his or her own life. Over years and centuries, many of them have paid for their choices at the cost of their lives.
- Jesus said that there is no greater love than that one should lay down one's life for a friend. Those military personnel who have lost their lives on our behalf were acting as friends to you and me. And the ones who survived could have died, but for the grace of God toward them. Veterans Day is not about the politics behind wars and battles. It is about personal sacrifices by people who chose to be where they were to protect you and me. You are reading this in English because someone, a whole lot of someones, acted on your behalf so that wouldn't have to grow up speaking a foreign tongue, or not be allowed to grow up at all.
- It's too late to thank the dead; we can only remember them. But if you know someone who served in the military, take a moment to call or write that person and say, "Thank you." It won't go unappreciated.
