Today, more than most, we all have so much to be thankful for!! I am sure each and every one of us knows someone who has served our country in some capacity and can bring to mind sacrifices they have made to do so. Some - the ultimate gift - their lives.
For me, I am so very thankful - I have four wonderful boys who are all healthy and still with me - 3 grown and on their own and one still at home. I know there are many parents who are not so fortunate and have given that ultimate sacrifice.
On days like this, my mind wanders back to a sandy haired little boy who lived across the street from us years ago. He would come to our door to play with our boys and he was always so polite and a gentleman. His name was Josh - the same as one of my boys and I was always fond of him. He grew up to be a very big boy and played football in high school and did well during those years. He made the decision to join the military right out of high school. He had been in ROTC and this seemed a natural decision for him. I will never forget the day that I received a call from a neighbor from the old neighborhood that Josh had been killed in Iraq. I could not and still cannot fathom the pain of his family. Josh was a hero and a very fine young man and there are so many more like him.
No matter what our circumstances or beliefs on this day, we all need to pause and offer up a prayer for the families of those who have lost loved ones for our sake - to keep us safe from harm - to do what they believed in and so willingly gave the ultimate sacrifice!
