It happened while standing in line at the grocery store. My dear friend, who tries to always thank military members when she sees them, noticed a man behind her in line. He was wearing a cap with military insignia, so she turned to face him and said, “Thank you for serving our country.”
Normally, she gets an answer such as “You’re welcome” or “Thank you for saying that.” This time, however, there was a pause. She waited. The gentleman then said, “You’re worth it.”
Oh. She had never had that response. It brought tears to her eyes. And it made her think about all who have served our nations since its beginning and those who have sacrificed for regular citizens like her (and me.)
We are worth it. Worth the sacrifice of what the service requires – time, hardship, loss, and death. Such a statement is sobering. It engenders even more gratitude for those soldiers who have served and still serve.
And this year, we celebrate the United States 250th anniversary of declaring independence from any other nation on earth. We celebrate 250 years of freedom to govern ourselves under the rule of law and with the principles our Founding Fathers fought for, sacrificed for, argued for, and stood for. Our nation, with its Constitution and its strong military, has persevered through domestic wars, foreign wars, state secession, civil unrest, social upheaval, and political infighting.
We were an experiment in the beginning. No one had done what our founders aimed to do – have a constitutional republic that was formed of the people, for the people, by the people. Not many believed our nation would survive. But we are still a nation. Still strong in our citizenry. Still working to preserve and uphold the Constitution of the United States of America.
For all those who have or do serve in the military, a heartfelt, genuine thank you for the sacrifices you make to preserve our Constitution and way of life. It’s a nation worth fighting for.
By Colleen K. Hales
Return to Base, Missouri blog writer