In our busy lives, we sometimes forget that there are members
of our society who have given up parts of their lives or even life itself to serve our country, at home and abroad in the
U.S. military.
The sacrifice and patriotism of these Americans has impacted
not only their lives, but the lives of friends and families. Many of these warriors suffer physical and emotional injuries.
Others have lost a few years that could have been spent in college, advancing careers, dating, getting married, being with
their families and doing what young people usually do. Many have grown up too fast in just a few years. They have been
in dangerous places, seeing things and experiencing horrors that most of us today have only known through brief imaginings,
movies, photos and stories. Those facts alone, at least to me, make these men and women very special people.
No one had really thanked my father or shown any personal appreciation
for his service in World War II, for which he earned a Purple Heart among other awards, until he was in his 70s. I'm told
he was moved to tears when a few people made a special trip to his home, bearing balloons and a fruit basket, and said something
to the effect, "Thank you for what you did for us."
In some unfortunate cases, veterans have not been treated well
at all, much less appreciated. Some people don't care. They didn't join, they weren't drafted, they didn't go to the
places that create nightmares that can last a lifetime.
Whether you are pro-war or anti-war, and even though it may seem
to be embarrassing to do so, I encourage and urge you to take a moment to thank someone you know (or even someone you
might not know well) who is serving or has served our country, doing what a lot of people can't or won't do.
You may just be amazed at how good it will make you feel to be
an American.
-- Toney Atkins
