Veterans Day- Remembering Heroes Past and Present

Sacrifice. It is a term that is no longer in vogue. Oh, we talk about it, and in some instances we give up things that are not too much of a sacrifice. Sacrifice, real sacrifice that costs us something dear, is foreign to most of us. There are those, however, that are sacrificing for us right now. They are sacrificing so we can live free and enjoy the comforts of our lives.

They sacrifice time away from their families. They sacrifice the comforts that we take for granted. They place themselves in harm's way so we can enjoy a life of freedom. And in some instances, they make the ultimate sacrifice of their lives.

These brave men and women sacrifice freely and willingly. For us, many of us, that they will never know.Yet when called, they are unwavering in their commitment to serve and protect us, to protect their country, and to protect our freedom.

And now we have a day to honor them, the veterans that have served gallantly and those that are serving now. A day to honor those who are buried in numerous graves both here and on foreign soil. A day to pause in our comfort and freedom to remember those that have made and are making it possible for us to enjoy the blessings of liberty. One day.

As you perhaps enjoy this day off or go about your daily routine, pause for a moment and give thanks for those that have sacrificed for our freedoms. And say a prayer of thanks and protection for those that are defending our freedom today.

A heartfelt "thank you" to all who have sacrificed on our behalf and who are sacrificing for us today.

VETERANS

They were there,

And they remember,

The shock, the horror

of watching strangers die.

A life ended

by a fellow soldiers shaking hands.

The unimaginable debt,

owed by a free world

can never be repaid.

Still we try,

Giving up an hour, a day

to thank you for the burden you now carry

Laid there so we can live our lives.

They fought,

and killed,

enemies with faces

identities unknown to the bullets

shattering the protective shield

laid there by those they loved.

For one day a year we honor you.

For our lives

it can never compare.

Still we try

Thanking you on this day

for a million moments you lived

so we could too.

-Brittany Skinner