Remembrance

Counted amongst the Veterans of our nation are the Six, Sarge, and myself, as well as my late Uncle Ken.  The Six, Sarge, and I bought the continued freedom of our nation with our time, Ken paid for it with his life.  For all those men and women that gallantly gave all, we salute you.  

(American Military Cemetery, Normandy France.  Taken by me, on a very emotional day.)

My husband is still active duty, and so my family still serves.  His time away, and our sacrifice is worth it to make sure our shores and way of life are safe.  We as a nation are very lucky to have had so many good men and women feel the same.  I tend towards embarrassment when people  thank me for serving, I'll admit.  My job wasn't that important, and I wasn't in that much danger.  I guess I don't feel that I did any more than anyone else could have.  The Sarge was in 'Nam, for crying out loud.  Sitting in an office all day surfing the internet, Secret internet or not, just doesn't seem that valiant to me.  When I sat in that cemetary I thought not just of what these men gave up, but also the lives affected that went on.  They all gave of themselves, even if some made it home at the end of the day.  And so, yes, they probably said what I'm saying: it wasn't that big a deal, I didn't pay like those boys paid, they are the heroes.  And yet to me they are every bit as heroic.  Their lack of death didn't diminish their efforts in fighting for freedom.  In that vein I try to be more accepting of the thanks of this day.  We serve because we can, to defend those that can't.

~The DO