By Abe Villarreal
Like most patriotic holidays, today is a day of remembrance. A day to wear red, white and blue. A day to say thank you to all those who have bravely served their country for things that we often can’t see or feel. Yet, saying thank you is literally the least that we can do.
Yes, we can do more. We can do something that seems impossible. We can love each other a little more.
Why do men and women die in battle? The easy answer is that they go to foreign lands and lay their life down to protect our precious freedoms. Another answer is that there is evil in the world and often that evil wants to eradicate our goodness.
Yet, life is so much more complicated. Soldiers also die in friendly fire. They die in accidents here at home. Then there are the military personnel who may not serve in the front lines but give their all serving and helping those who are in the front lines. They are all equal and are all appreciated.
Whenever there is tragedy, either far away or close to home, we quickly dive into prayer platitudes. Either through a tweet, email or letter to the editor, our elected leaders and neighbors tell us that we are all thinking and praying for those affected by a seemingly surprising turn of events.
And yet, we can do more. I believe in prayer. It is powerful. Giving money can also be impactful. Volunteering at a veteran’s hospital is a way to give back. Advocating for change in policies can make a real difference.
As you read your Facebook timelines and see the many images with phrases like “Thank you Veterans” and “Honoring Our Veterans," I’d like to suggest that in fact we do honor our veterans by learning to love each other and better understand each other.
While we disagree with our enemies especially when they hit us where it hurts, perhaps our reactions and our actions should rise above those of our aggressors.
Thank you to our veterans for their commitments, their sacrifices and for their unselfishness. It’s time we repay you with more than clichés and obligatory tweets. Let’s do it right. Let’s make a real impact by taking action and giving back.
This Veteran’s Day, you can make a difference in two ways. Walk up to a veteran and ask him what you can do to give back to a military that has given so much for you and me. And then say thank you.
Abe Villarreal is the Director of Communications at Western New Mexico University. When not on campus, he enjoys writing about his observations on marketing, life, people and American traditions.