Veteran's Day

On Saturday some of my mother's family met at my house to spend some time together. Some of my cousins came as well as my parents and brother and 2 of my uncles. My uncles fought in WW II and one of them was on Iwo Jima.

Tommy will be 95 on Nov. 14 and he is walking history. He can tell the day that he shipped out on a boat to go to Iwo Jima. He actually saw the flag being raised there and looks at his service as a time that he did what was needed to be done. He doesn't feel that anything he did was out of the ordinary but he was proud to serve. For someone that is 95 he doesn't look a day over 70! His health is good, he walks well, and although I am sure that he is slower at doing things I often think that he is more active than people that are much younger.

My other uncle, Travis, is 84. He served in Europe during WW II. His accounts of being in Paris are so interesting. He talks of walking the streets and the things that he saw. Yesterday he was wearing a cap that stating that he had served and he was proud He also can remember details of what he saw and like Tommy he is walking history. I feel that I am so fortunate to have these 2 men in my family.

As Veteran's Day approaches we should all take time to reflect on the many sacrifices that were made through the years by such brave men and women. It is because of them that we can continue to enjoy the freedoms we have.

Liz