A Thank You Letter - Memorial Day

Tomorrow is Memorial Day.

We will celebrate like so many other millions of Americans with family, food, and fun. 
We will hug our loved ones who have traveled hundreds of miles to be here, and we will wear red, white & blue to show our outward American pride.
We will probably watch bits and pieces of an old black & white war movie... and probably some good ol' American baseball.
Heck, we may even eat some apple pie.

But inside, I feel a little sad about Memorial Day. 
Sure, I'll have fun tomorrow watching all the cousins play together, and I will enjoy lots of laughs and good times. But I have a feeling, in the back of my mind, there will be a resounding sadness.

I think about the husband who will do all of the "motherly duties" tonight of tucking the kids into bed and running that last load of laundry because Mommy is deployed on naval ship for the next year. And how he will tell those kids once again, "Mommy loves you so much, and she misses you."

I think about the little 7-year old boy who won't have his Daddy around tomorrow to throw a football with, because he sacrificed his life for our freedom.

I think about all the wives who will spend tomorrow at the grave sites of their husbands who were lost at war. Carefully, and lovingly placing flowers and notes on the headstones. Drying tears from their eyes as they long to be able to just have one more hug... one more kiss.

I think about a dear friend whose husband is gone for several months and missing yet another pregnancy of hers because he is serving our country in the military medical field.

I think about my own father-in-law who lives in constant pain and has had a myriad of medical treatments to help relieve some of the ailments that he still endures from serving his country decades ago.

We so quickly take for granted the fact that we live in a country where we have all of these freedoms. The freedom to vote (or not to vote), to worship whatever religion/God/or non-God you want. The freedom to voice our opinions openly and freely in every medium imaginable. The freedom to wear shorts and t-shirts and flip-flops instead of having to have everything on our bodies covered except our eyes.

We have all of these freedoms and yet... how often do we say "Thank You" to a Veteran? How often do we take a moment to shake the hand of the man behind us in the Walmart line who is wearing a "Vietnam Veteran" ball cap? How often do we just close our eyes and pray for the soldiers who are away from their families and the comforts of home to keep OUR country out of harm's way?

I want to take a moment to just say "Thank You." To all of the men and women who fight for our county. Who are deployed on medical missions, fighting on the front lines, and serving in secretive bunkers. You are self-less individuals who absolutely amaze me. Thank you for all that you have done; all that you are doing; and all that you will continue to do.

I can sleep soundly tonight knowing that our country is safe, and that is due to you. So, thank you.

I wish a happy and safe Memorial Day to you all!