Lest we Forget

President Obama said, "We are a nation that endures because of the courage of those who defend it." Today was the day set aside to acknowledge those in active service to protect and defend our rights to have the freedom of choice, speech and religion among others. It is a time to reflect on those who served and perhaps were injured or died in the same pursuit in days gone by. My father lied about his age and entered the Marines when he was a boy of only 17. His brother also served in the service, and was captured and held as a prisoner of war for nearly 2 years, dropping to a mere 80 lbs on a 6 foot frame. He survived that ordeal. They didn't talk about their time in the service. It was a sacred time, but one with too much to digest. My kids' grandfather served in the Navy at 18, and when my sons interviewed him for a report last year, it was clear that he was grateful to be out of the Navy. My nephew chose to enlist in the Marines, and just missed being sent to IRAQ. Yet everyday men and women, some of them but mere children themselves, go off to war to face conditions hard to fathom from my warm living room. I am so grateful they are willing, for we are a nation with freedoms to be ourselves unlike any other. So here is my tribute to those who courageously stand up to the challenge to boldly face the enemy and prevail.

Materials used: Lest we Forget freebie kit from Kerry'd Away Designs