thankful: day 11

i am thankful today and everyday for our veterans.  i will never comprehend their selflessness.  i understand the desire to do anything to keep my loved ones safe, but i don't have that same feeling for complete strangers.  to choose to be in harm's way so someone i don't know can go about their life and make any choice they wish is beyond my understanding.  and for many of those people to only think about soldiers one day a year.  veterans are AMAZING people.  and for their sacrifices i am thankful.

i am also thankful for their families.  they sacrifice so much too.  to send a loved one away into harm's way and to then have to worry about them because they won't hear from them for periods of time.

i am also thankful that the boys go to school where they do.  every year there is a program that honors our local veterans.  kindergarten through fifth grade sing several songs.  all of which are so danged good.  junior high kids do a flag show and the high school band plays a couple songs.  i love the song the band plays which is a medley of all branches songs.  then when a veteran's song plays they stand and get an applause.  names of all the veterans from the county that were killed in combat are called out.  and all veterans who are present have their names called and the branch they served.  i tear up at that part every time.  i am glad this is done because it instills a sense of pride and teaches kids how to show honor to these individuals.  i had a few friends who grew up here mention that they have the respect for veterans that they do because of the school doing this.

it seems so inadequate, but THANK YOU VETERANS!
tara