I’ll admit, I don’t usually think about the holidays that celebrate and honor those who have served in the military. I do appreciate and value the efforts put in by everyone out there. Day to day though, I really just don’t think about it.I’ve put some thought into why it is that I don’t ‘seem to care’, and the answer is simple. I tend to focus more locally instead of globally. It’s how I’ve chosen to make my impact. I know there’s good and bad in that. But the reason I have the privilege to do this is because I have been supported time and again by all those that have taken on the difficult task of providing me with protection from things that I don’t even know exist.

fun fact: I actively pursued going into service but I wasn’t eligible because of medical reasonsI’m thankful that there are people out there that have my back. Those that protect me and my community so that we have the luxury of being ignorant of threats. To have less stress from some of the madness out there. To be confident that tomorrow will be another day. To give is the freedom to live our lives. To grow our community. To raise our children (though I don’t have any human ones). They improve our capacity to control our own destinies and move toward a good life.

I see it as my responsibility to do what I can to make sure that I support the safety, growth, and enrichment of my local community.  I to make sure that our home, is strong, safe, and rewarding. That it is filled with less trouble, less fear, less worry. I do this because I want veterans to have a good home. One that they will be happy to return to. To be able to live in a peace that they so dedicatedly protect.  Selfishly I am thankful that my father’s service was brief and during a time of relative peace. And also to know that all of my friends and family who have served, have had the gift of being able to come home. For those that have not returned, I like to think that my actions here make their gift all the more meaningful.

So when I don’t seem to care, I hope that my apparent ignorance is not misunderstood. I’m doing my best to make the most of the gift that I am given.
It’s my way of saying thank you. I just just don’t choose to do it with words.

Well.. except today.