Yesterday was Veterans’ Day. It’s a day to remember what the men and women in service have done for our country and to show our appreciation.
One of the most important people in my life is a veteran, my father. He fought in the Vietnam war. Throughout the years, I have tried to find ways to show my appreciation for what he went through and did for our country without actually saying thank you. You see, my father does not want to be thanked. Truth be told, I understand why. I don’t think when it comes to Vietnam vets that this is all that unusual. And yet every year, I try to find subtle ways I can show him how proud I am of him and how much I appreciate what he has done.
We can learn a lot from our veterans. They follow a moral code most of us have somehow forgotten throughout the years. They live their lives in service to others and that does not stop when they go home to their families or after they are discharged. They may truly be some of the only human beings on earth who fully understand what it means to sacrifice. And that’s not just a sacrifice for those they know and care about, they do this for complete strangers.
They are courageous. They face the unknown with strength and bravery. This doesn’t mean they don’t get scared, it would be completely ignorant to think that. It means they face fear and the unknown despite being afraid. Most of us wouldn’t be able to endure what our veterans have endured.
So why are we not treating them better? They put their lives on the line, face horrible conditions, witness unspeakable things and live the rest of their lives battling a new kind of war, one no one trains them on how to maneuver, one only they can see. When a veteran leaves a war, the war does not leave the veteran. I can’t help but wonder how we can sit back and worship actors and athletes, paying them millions to simply entertain us, and yet our vets come home and must continue to work hard jobs (if they can even find one) after putting their lives in danger for our safety. Why is it so easy for us to forget what they did for us?
Being raised by a Vietnam vet has not always been easy. But I’m proud of my dad. He may not want to be thanked for his service, but that doesn’t mean I can’t still thank him for other things. Like teaching me how to be thick-skinned on the outside, but hold a tender, kind heart on the inside. Or showing me how to drive a four-wheeler, a tractor, and later in life, a car. Or the fact he has instilled me that our purpose here is to take care of other people. He’s shown me how to sacrifice for those we love simply because we love them and asking nothing in return. He did all this with a demon on his back, dark memories in his mind and a country that forgot about him as soon as he got home.
If you know a veteran, don’t just thank them for their service, it just doesn’t seem like enough. Even those who come home, have lost a lot. Thank them for continuing to fight, every day for those they love. They are carrying so much more than we can imagine.
