Is Thank You Enough?
Posted by vickijasper on November 11, 2009
Today is Veteran’s Day. A day when we pay homage to all of those brave men and women who have answered our country’s call to arms.   Now as a youngster, I can vaguely remember the war in Vietnam but it was sort of on the edge of my consciousness and I remember my Grandfather telling me stories about World War II but none of it seemed real to me. It was just something I heard about, after all nothing was going to happen to America and no one I knew would be going to war (ah to be young and naive).
Well September 11th changed all that. Never in my life time did I imagine that I would need to be worried about this great country and NEVER did I think I would see my friends leave behind their loved ones and their life’s to go to war. Now whether or not you agree with the politics behind all of this is a mute point. The fact is thousands of Americans (some of them my very close friends) are answering this country’s call. They believe so strongly in what this country stands for that they are willing to die for it.
So is one day enough to say thank you to these folks for their sacrifice? NO! We need to be thinking of them and keeping them and their families (because they too have made a huge sacrifice) in our minds and our prayers everyday (I’m probably more than a little biased here but you get the point). Get involved, volunteer, let our armed forces know that you appreciate them. There are hundreds organizations – Adopt-a-Platoon, US Troop Support, USO etc – that could use your help to support our troops.
While it’s important to nationally recognize past and present soliders, I want you to take it a step further, go upto military personnel wherever you might see them and shake their hand (I always do this when I see them in the airport. They look at me a little funny when I first approach them but they appreciate the fact that I take the time.) Tell them thank you in person. It means a great deal to them that you recognize and appreciate them.  After all they are fighting for our freedom and democracy.
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