Unfortunately, too many Americans do not understand that our freedom has not been free but has come at great sacrifice in lives of those special Americans who died for this right.
- Lt. Gen. Thomas McInerney
I know I'm a few days late on my Memorial Day post. Remember, I'm a stay-at-home mom...so things happen (like six stitches to a kid's forehead) that slow me down.
I love this country. I love what it stands for. I consider myself patriotic. I want my country to be better. I want to protect the cause of freedom around the world. I love these few lines from Oliver North:
In the three and a half decades since Vietnam, not a single year has passed without Americans in uniform being committed to hostile action somewhere around the globe...We are not a war-like people. But for more than two centuries ours has been the only nation on earth willing to consistently send its sons and daughters into harm’s way – not for gold or oil or colonial conquest – but to offer others the hope of liberty.
Since 9/11/01 that great legacy has been borne by volunteers serving in the shadows of the Hindu Kush, along the banks of the Tigris & Euphrates, in the Persian Gulf and on anti-piracy patrols in the Indian Ocean. These young Americans are engaged against a merciless enemy who has proven repeatedly that there is no atrocity beneath them – and that they will do whatever it takes to kill as many of our countrymen as possible.
Those now in uniform deserve our thanks, for no nation has ever had a better military force than the one we have today. And no accolade to those presently in our country’s service is greater than honoring the veterans who preceded them on Memorial Day.
I love The Pioneer Woman blog. She's a home-schooling mother of four living life on a ranch in Oklahoma. Her blog is all things cooking, farming, family, and photography-oriented. Her latest photo submission request was for "Coming Home" photos. They are touching and beautiful. Sometimes we think of our military as a worldwide powerhouse (which they are, don't get me wrong), but I think we sometimes forget our service men and women are just regular people with regular families. It brings to light more of the sacrifice when you consider what they leave behind to serve and what the ultimate sacrifice really means when they don't come home. If you want to see some of these touching photos, click below.
No matter the craziness of the political game we are facing in our nation right now, there is still something worth fighting for and these men and women know firsthand what that is. We can learn from them.
In honor of Memorial Day, I add my thanks and remembrance to all those who have served and sacrificed. Thank you.
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