National Support Our Troops Day (A Follow up)

I've been spending a lot of time thinking about how days like this that are set aside to honor our Nation's Bravest so often get turned into something petty and insulting.
Memorial Day, Veteran's Day, Independence Day and Flag Day - just to name a few, have been turned into little more than four day weekends and Dept. Store White Sales. Most folks allow these days to pass without a fleeting thought as to their true meaning or the ultimate sacrifices men have made so that they could enjoy their backyard BBQ and indulgent excursions at the mall.
Maybe I'm lucky...No, I'm more than that. I'm sincerely blessed that I was raised in a family that taught me the price of days like these. They taught me to celebrate those whose blood made these days possible for future generations they did not even know. They taught me to celebrate and remember THEM.
Now as it happens, I have my own personal reasons for revering our servicemen and women. It too came at a bloody price, as honor often does. I lost 343 of my brothers on September 11th, 2001, and when that happened our newest generation of heroes, OUR American troops stepped up.
They new that I and many others wanted retaliation like the world has never seen. I suspect some of them wanted the same. And yet, as American Fighting Forces often do, they delivered far more than what I and many of my nation cried out for. Not only did they demand a reckoning, they set out to ensure that our professional paths did not cross again unless we wished them to. They have delivered on both counts. They took the fight to the enemy so that my people fight fire and save lives in our neighborhoods rather than fighting bombs and losing lives in our streets. They deserve the gratitude of EVERY person in this land for keeping them safe.

This picture has always reminded me of what those brave men and women did and continue to do as they came to us with their own gratitude and said "Thanks Guys, You did a great job, but we'll take it from here. I am also lucky enough to be loved by one of those soldiers who went into combat multiple times so that my crew didn't have to. He may not know it, but I thank him for it every day. And the thing that gets me the most is that he thanks me for doing MY job as if his was the average 8 to 5 day at the office. That, my friends, is gratitude and humility beyond measure.
I won't go into how gratitude seems to have an awfully broad interpretation among certain members of congress and Hollywood, I don't have to. Soldiers, Sailors, Marines and Airmen don't NEED our thanks - they do what they do because it is THE RIGHT THING TO DO! But need it or not, I've thanked everyone I know, active duty or Veteran in the past two days because without them, I believe we could all be at war.

I hope that all of you are taking the time to thank them too.

Just think how many BBQ's and White Sales that would ruin for Jane Fonda and her friends!