Happy Veterans Day

[Austin S. Camacho]

I’m sure you’ll read a lot this month from people expressing what they’re thankful for. Today I want to express my gratitude for those men and women who have guaranteed my right to write whatever I want. Free speech and a free press may be concepts in the Constitution, but they are only rights because they are preserved by our service members. As we all know, freedom is never free.

Veterans Day was declared a national holiday to help us remember those warriors. We often focus on those physically damaged by bombs or bullets, but I urge you to remember that in war, there are no unwounded soldiers.

G.K. Chesterton (author of the mystery series featuring the priest-detective Father Brown) correctly stated that “Courage is almost a contradiction in terms. It means a strong desire to live taking the form of readiness to die.” We owe our military men and women recognition for their courage, but we often take for granted the very things that most deserve our gratitude. So this year, take a moment to remember our courageous defenders, past and present. Smile at a veteran, say thank you when a service member passes you by. Remember John F. Kennedy’s words:

“As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them.”