Thank you!

Saturday, November 11 is Veterans Day – a day set aside to honor America’s military veterans for their service, their patriotism and the sacrifices made to protect our nation and preserve our freedoms. This year, recognition has been extended to include and recognize the contributions of military families as well as veterans by designating November as National Veterans and Military Families.

There is a very profound reason that the Veterans Day observation falls on November 11. It was on the eleventh hour on the eleventh day of the eleventh month in 1918 that an armistice went into effect stopping the fighting between the allied nations and Germany, ending World War I. At the time World War, I was thought to be “the war to end all wars.” Sadly, that was not the case. Many years and many conflicts later, our military are still making sacrifices to “preserve, protect and defend” the freedoms and opportunities that we cherish and yet sometimes take for granted.

In some way, we are all connected to someone in military service; fathers, mothers, siblings, grandparents, co-workers, friends, family, neighbors. Veterans Day is a time to say, “thank you” and show our appreciation for their service and commitment.

To the more than 18 million veterans in the United States and their families – “thank you.” As we say thanks, it’s important to remember the words of John F. Kennedy – “As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them.”

Happy Veterans Day.

Posted by MJ Thomas