You're welcome...No, thank YOU!

Veteran's Day

There is that time each year when Veteran's Day rolls around. Just about to a person, each person I know who IS a veteran of military service during a foreign war think that they really don't deserve the high praise that abounds on this holiday celebration. "We were just doing our job," is the statement heard most often. As a matter of fact, the speaker probably WAS just doing their job. There is little room for showboating or trying to stand out in the rigid confines of the military world. One does their work and follows orders to the best of whatever level of ability they possess.

People come up after church when the veterans are recognized and say, "Thank you." What else can one reply except "You're welcome" to that statement? Well, I've always wanted to speak out when we are recognized in church.

I've wanted to say to the assembled, thankful people, "No, thank YOU. Thank you for the money to pay our salary that sustained us during our national service. Thank you for taking care of our loved ones while we were away on active duty. Thank you for not caring that we came into the work force late or finished our education a few years later than we 'should have' by normal standards. Thank you for holding up that standard of societal rule of law that we could look back to returning to in civilian life after living in the midst of war and turmoil, strife and danger. Thank YOU!"