There are four holidays that I hold sacred above the others and they are—in order—Easter, Christmas, Memorial Day, and Veterans Day. The first two are obvious because of their significance to my faith. I hold Memorial Day in my heart because of those who have gone before to ensure that I have the freedom to live and worship as I believe. Some of those brave men and women were fortunate enough to live to see their golden years, while others made the ultimate sacrifice on a foreign shore to keep our shores safe. The fourth holiday, Veterans Day, is set aside to honor those members of the military who we are blessed to still have among us. If you know someone who served, now is the time to let them know how much you appreciate them. The day will come, in some cases all too soon, when a vase of flowers on a tear-soaked grave will be our only way to tell these men and women “Thank you.”

To all of the veterans who are reading this, either on this site or shared by a friend or loved one, I just want you to know that my words cannot truly express the gratitude in my heart for all you have done for your country. My sincerest prayer is that we are able to celebrate your service for many more years before we have to celebrate your memory.

With deepest gratitude,

The Downjotter