Veterans Day Is More than Just another Day Off

The 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month.

That’s when the armistice ending World War I began in 1918, and that is the origin of Veterans Day (note that it is spelled without an apostrophe), a U.S. holiday often confused with Memorial Day. And Memorial Day often confused with Veterans Day.

Memorial Day honors America’s fallen and deceased. My husband, a US Army Soldier, received so many “Thank you for your service” texts and comments this past Memorial Day. He was a little bothered by it and said, “Why do people keep thanking me for my service when this day is to remember those who gave the ultimate sacrifice or have since lost their lives?”

Veterans Day is a day to honor all veterans, living and not, and should have a special emphasis on thanking living veterans for what their service to their country has done for us by being specific in how their service and sacrifice has allowed us to have the freedom to do all that we have.

Our veterans did not go to war because they wanted to fight or because they hated our supposed enemies. They went because it was their duty and they took that oath to protect our country. They went because they loved those they left behind-spouse, family members, friends, co-workers, and you. They were willing to put their lives on the line to provide for them. That says so much about who they are.

Veterans gave and continue to give their service, commitment, devotion, and put their lives on the line if and when the time came, so that all those left back like you and I could continue to have the freedom to live our daily lives uninterrupted, feel safe, continue to pursue our dreams, be there for our children every day, not miss any holidays or birthdays, call in to work sick, eat a home cooked meal, leave our house without having to put on bullet proof vests and cavlar, complain about little things, and sleep peacefully at night. They did what they did so we wouldn’t have to.

So, when you get excited because you get the day off on Tuesday remember that we owe our veterans more than just a “Thank you for your service”. Thank them for something specific that you were able to do because of their service and time at war. Go and visit Veterans in a Veterans Home or hospital and listen to their stories. We have done this in the past and took our children-they will never forget. Pick up the phone and call a veteran instead of texting or sending a Facebook message. Take flowers to a veteran’s cemetery. Do something more this year.

Many of our Veterans continue to live a life of continuous battle even though they survived the war or multiple wars. Each Veteran experiences these battles in different ways. They can have debilitating injuries, injuries unseen, nightmares, flashbacks, anger, insensitivity, trouble concentrating, anxiety, and so much more. Their families are not shielded from this and also experience difficulties adjusting. So remember them for they too have sacrificed and experienced loss.

So, on this Veterans Day and every day If you reach out or see a Veteran or soldier in uniform, see it as an honor to approach them, shake their hand and thank them with specific details of positive things you were able to do because of the freedom their service continues to give you in this country.

I thank my husband, father, brother, grandfathers, uncles, cousins, close friends, and all who have served living and passed for the opportunity for me as a female to have the freedom to pursue my education, complete my degree, freedom to write, and now be able to live the American dream and work from home doing something I love.

We offer our deepest respect to those who gave their all and for those who are currently deployed and preparing to deploy and all their families. God bless our veterans and God bless the United States of America.