Happy Veterans Day to all of the brave men and women out there who are serving, have served, and who have passed. This day is a day for everyone to sit back and recognize everything that our military personnel does for our country. Our freedom that we have is such a privilege and should not be taken for granted. Without these men and women, we would not be the country that we are today.
Do you know the history of Veterans Day? Veterans Day was originally called Armistice Day. Armistice Day marks the end of the First World War and was a day the nations fell silent to remember our war dead. It became a legal holiday in 1938 and was a day when businesses closed up early to celebrate with parades and public meetings. After World War II and the Korean War, it was then changed to Veterans day in the United States. This holiday was dedicated for our American Veterans from all of the different wars. Memorial Day is only for the men and women that have died in war, whereas Veterans Day is for the ones who are still fighting, retired and those who have passed.
Today take a moment to watch a video on Veteran’s Day on television, YouTube, Facebook or any other social media, and allow yourself to feel something that maybe you have never felt. Some of these families live without their spouse for a duration of time, while some children are growing up without a parent watching them grow older or enjoy the holidays together. If you are able to enjoy dinner with your family tonight, sit back and realize how lucky you are. People who are fighting for our country only wish to have one more dinner with their family. It is all about perspective. We should all take a moment today to appreciate these strong, brave men and women for what they do day in and day out for our freedom.
Here is a short story we wanted to share with you…
Lisa had a son named Matthew, who got deployed and six weeks later died in battle. Lisa struggled with his death, as any mother would, and finally received his uniform and belongings. She then turned his camouflage uniform into a teddy bear. Making the teddy bear helped her recoup from her son’s passing and she also felt the teddy bear would help her feel her son’s presence throughout the years. Many others heard about her story and started sending her uniforms of their lost veterans, so that they could receive a teddy bear made out of their loved one’s uniforms. Lisa said, “Whenever I sew a bear out of another fallen service member’s combat uniform, I feels my son’s presence and approval.” She was able to turn something so sad into a memoir that will last a lifetime.
Here is Matthew’s last message that he sent to his parents before he passed.
“Mom, Dad, I can never repay you for all you have done for me. You made me into the man I am today. I hope that I have made you proud. That has always been my goal. I love you both so much. Tell the girls that I love them and couldn’t be a prouder older brother. I have always tried to be an honorable man and I truly believe in what we are doing here. I am doing this for my family; so that they need not fear, My country, so that it can be a beacon of light for the entire world; the men around me, because no one could ask for a more august company than the men of the US Armed Forces and finally I do this for myself so that I might know the measure of myself and in the end not be found wanting. I believe that it is my duty to fight and having done all that I can to simply stand against this and all the evil works upon this Earth.”
To learn more about the Matthew Freeman Project, please visit http://www.freemanproject.org/
