We all know at least one Veteran. We thank them for serving their country and label them heroes. A friend of mine, who is a police officer, said "it's not about being a hero. For some people, their natural instinct when danger appears is to run towards it. Protecting people is their instinct." That was in response to my "Real Superheroes" blog post.
I honestly don't know how the average Veteran feels about being honored on occasions like Veteran's Day and Memorial Day. A lot of that has to do with a mix of their personality and their experience in their time serving. Being appreciated is a good thing but it also brings back memories to your time serving. Not everyone wants to relive that time.
War isn't something to celebrate. While we honor Veterans for their service, we very rarely think about what that really means. Some like sharing war stories but most would rather not talk about their time in the military. I respect that. We don't know what that experience is like. Only Veterans know.
That's why when we celebrate Veteran's Day we honor these heroes but don't go into details. Let the Veteran in question decide how much remembering they are comfortable with. Because while we honor them, they honor the memories of friends lost in war.
You have to be brave to sign up to serve
You have to be strong to be chosen to serve
You have to be smart to learn the skills needed to survive once in battle
You have to be okay with a short haircut
You have to have really good aim
This is what makes a hero. It might be their instinct, but they are still heroes. Superheroes! They are risking their lives for their country. There isn't a way to know the right thing to say. So I'll say the only thing that comes close to being good enough:
Thank you for fighting for our freedom.
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