Hola readers!

When I was younger I wanted to go into the military. I always said that if I was a boy, I would (note: excuse because I thought boys were braver).
There were many reasons the idea of the military interested me, but one was that on both sides of my parents I have people who served and fought for the freedom we have today.
My Dad was in the Air Force during Desert Storm, I have two great uncles who fought in Vietnam and one who was in the military at that time. My great-grandfather fought in World War Two in Germany and was wounded before D-day. I got to see his medals and papers a few years ago.
A little bit of warmth flowed through me to see those honors, to see a bit of important history in my own family.

I found this photo the other week. "How do you all like this picture?" He wrote to his family back home. "My hairs all mess up, because I had been up almost all night. I got about three hours of sleep. Dad, I have a M79 grenade (words were tore off), in my hand."

All my life I've been surrounded by those who have served, those who gave up years of their life (or even an eye or their mental stability or even their lives) to give us freedom. Even my cousin is a Deputy Sheriff. I'm continually reminded that people every day fight for the freedom we enjoy.
Every time I see a veteran wearing the baseball cap with the war they fought in, my first reaction is to want to run up to them and thank them for their service. I so badly want to sit down with them and hear their stories. I want to take a moment to appreciate their service to our country.
I've thought about volunteering at my local VA. I might do that eventually, when life slows down. Life goes by too fast not to take the time to appreciate those who've been before you, who are older and wiser and know more...who've done and seen more.
We could all learn from their wisdom.



They deserve to be honored. They deserve our respect. My dad remembers his uncle coming home, mentally unstable from the war and being called 'baby killer.'
My great uncle gave everything he had for our freedom - those guys in Vietnam didn't have a choice but to fight. Some of the things they did over there, turned them around and made them never the same. Some of the things they did turned them to suicide and beer and smoking.

They deserve our remembrance, not our scorn.

Maybe I'm a day late to do this post - Memorial Day was up on me before I knew it. But I think remembering is every day of our lives. It's volunteering with the Va. It's thanking veterans and Police Officers and those in uniform on the streets. It's showing the flag respect and taking the time to appreciate our heritage.
Maybe I don't agree with my country fully.
I really don't.
I don't like some of the choices she's making.
But I love the men and women who served. I know what they do and though I don't always agree with the US of A, I stand for the National Anthem because if that's all I can do to remember them, to show that what they did had any importance, than that's what I'll do.  And I'll proudly thank them for that they did, because in reality - they changed our lives.

It's seems such small gestures, after what they did, but in the world we live in today, they're much needed ones.