John Wayne "Taps" An American Tribute to Veterans

It's Veterans Day here in the States.  A day to Honor the men and women who sacrificed so much. So many gave their lives for our freedom down through the ages.I always honored the day, enjoyed it as a holiday,  and went to some of the day functions held in their honor. Until my son did his 2 tours of Iraq,  and was away....this day got to be a lot different in my eyes.

 My dad did not serve, at his young age he was allowed to stay home and help his ailing father with the farm work.  World War 1, World War II, and the  Korea  war had people we knew fighting and dying from our little area.

Most of my classmates were Viet Nam Veterans and we didn't seem to be aware of what they all went through..I think a lot was Media wasn't like it is now.. They came home battered and bruised both mentally and physically.  So many gave their lives. It was a wake up call to Americans. Wars weren't the same, the media showed use hard core photos and videos. Most were so young and  plucked out by the government calling their number and off they went to foreign lands. They were scared, they seen things they never would have had a clue about. They lived in circumstances they could not control or we could not imagine.  Hot days, Cold days, Wet days,  Death, Fear, Loneliness, Bombings, not being able to trust, and Praying to be able to come back home.   American was awakened. Those men came home needing help. They made LIFE time sacrifices.

Now with my son still serving as a career... this day is always a sad hard day. The songs, the photos, all mean something different.  Families changed forever.  Military men and women sacrifice so very much. And so do their families. And from the bottom of my heart I pray for all of them and thank them.

We must be thankful for our freedom, it isn't free.  Wishing there could be PEACE around the world and  APPRECIATION for what we have and take for granted every single day.