seekellytse:

I felt that God Bless The USA by Lee Greenwood was an appropriate song for today.

“From the lakes of Minnesota,
to the hills of Tennessee.
Across the plains of Texas,
From sea to shining sea.
From Detroit down to Houston,
and New York to L.A.
Well there’s pride in every American heart,
and it’s time we stand and say.

And I’m proud to be an American,
where at least I know I’m free.
And I won’t forget the men who died,
who gave that right to me.
And I’d gladly stand up,
next to you and defend her still today.
‘Cause there ain’t no doubt I love this land,
God bless the USA.”

For most people, Memorial Day is a day of family time and BBQs. But Memorial Day is so much more than that. It’s a time to remember the sacrifices of the soldiers that have died to protect the freedom that we have, the ones that gave everything so we can have more than dreams and wishes and words on a piece of paper called the Constitution, and to honor them.

Memorial Day should be a day of thanksgiving. I think that a lot of us take living here in the U.S. for granted. There are so many things that we can do that would probably get us killed or arrested in other places. Freedom of religion and freedom of speech being two big ones. We can walk out in the streets proclaiming our thoughts and opinions, and while that may earn you some dirty looks from people, at least we won’t get arrested if say, we say that we don’t support Obama or that we’re Christian/Catholic/Buddhist/religious/etc.

Memorial Day is the perfect time to remember that freedom is not free. Because if it was free, we wouldn’t need a military. We wouldn’t have troops stationed all over the world, some in dangerous areas like the middle East, fighting and working while we’re at home, safe and sound. The price of freedom is the equivalent of our military - the men and women who decided that there is so much more worth in investing in our country than in their own lives.

And Memorial Day is not a day to just be thankful for our troops. It’s a day to be thankful for our veterans too.

A veteran is someone who, at one point in his/her life, wrote a blank check made payable to “The United States of America,” for an amount of “up to and including my life.”

Our troops right now are in the middle of making that payment.

George S. Patton said/wrote it well, that “It is foolish and wrong to mourn the men who died. Rather we should thank God that such men lived.”

And thank you to all current soldiers, marines, sailors, airmen, coast guardsmen, and veterans, for everything you’ve done and everything you’re doing. Remember that you have a support network at home, and that you’re not alone. I always pray for your safety and safe journey home.

-Pidgey, out!