The following post is by my husband Leif. He’s sorta awesome.
I woke up today thoughtful of the brave men and women that have given the ultimate sacrifice – their lives – to protect what they had left behind.
Today we celebrate Memorial Day, but it should be called Hero Day.
It’s not just that our soldiers have given their lives in the line of duty, but what they gave them for. Wars of history mostly have been wars of conquest. Wars have generally been fought for two reasons: Land or religion.
With little exception, the United States has fought other nations for an entirely different reason. The U.S. doesn’t fight to gain land, or to spread a particular religion; we fight for an idea.
We fight for freedom.
In the Civil War, we fought for the freedom of all men.
In WWI, we fought to protect our allies (and therefore ourselves) against Imperialism.
Korea. Vietnam. Kosovo. Afghanistan. Iraq. Freedom.
Today I lift a glass and toast the sailor, the soldier, the airman, and the marine. I say thank you to them, even though it doesn’t adequately convey my gratitude. They are my heroes. Their sacrifices were not in vain, but bravely faced so that I may enjoy and share the freedoms that my creator gave me.
