Veterans Day 2007

In this place I fondly call the ‘far north’ today was one of those very lucky days that don’t come around very often. I awoke and saw the light dusting of snow on my deck as I poured my first cup of coffee. Winter is finally settling in here in Alaska so it was still dark outside. A Sunday morning like many others where the newspaper is out by the street in the box but I really did not want to go outside quite yet to read about many things I’m not really interested in. I showered and noticed my wife had fallen asleep on the couch probably watching the snowfall outside the sliding glass of the front deck.

It is Veterans Day but many will observe it tomorrow so they can take time off from work. It seems somewhat funny to me now as I think about how things have changed over the years. Later in the morning I phoned several friends and asked what they will be doing on Monday. They all said the same thing: working. Me, too I thought as I was going to take time off but I have two large commercial projects that bid on Tuesday and two more on Wednesday so I changed my mind and will take time off on another day.

We are just working stiffs who proudly served and remember our brothers in arms who have fallen or are serving this country right now on battlefields across the globe.

There is something else we share. We are all military veterans. And the funny thing is we are not employees of the Federal Government, state government, municipal government, Postal Service, the courts, banks, and we don’t teach school.

If we did, we would be among the many millions of people who will spend Monday goofing off. Which is why it is about time Congress revised the ridiculous terms of Veterans Day as a national holiday.

The purpose of Veterans Day is to honor all veterans.

So how does this country honor them?

By letting the veterans, the majority of who work in the private sector, spend the day at their jobs that permit millions of non-veterans to get paid for doing nothing.

Just doesn’t seem quite right.

To the Fallen we salute you and remember your sacrifice . . .

To those who continue to serve around the world we gratefully thank you for standing post and protecting those who cannot protect themselves . . .

Soldiers have always been more about peace than war as we have seen firsthand the effects from conflicts in our past.

We will always remember . . .

as it stays with us within our memory’s reach . . .

Just what was needed for a nice slow snowy day in front of the fireplace with my trusty Levi lying at my feet waiting for his favorite treat or that time when we head outside to play in the snow.

Ice

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