It would be very easy for me to quote the numbers of soldiers and civilians who have died in the many wars that have been and still are. That I will leave to the historians and statisticians.
I made a committment long ago to make sure my children understand the sacrifices that were made on their behalf before they were even born. I know that my grandfather, Frank E. Maidens did participate in WWII. Because he was a husband and father, the military thought it best that he drive an ambulance transporting the wounded. Although he was not in battle, the sight of the death and maiming of soldiers,I am sure, must have taken a toll on his psychological and emotional welfare. I never met the man. I wish I could have thanked him.
I have made a point of shaking the hand of any veteran I see. Considering that my children are bi-racial, I don't believe I am being overdramatic when I say that they would not be here had it not been for the men and women that battled in WWII, be it on the front lines or behind the scenes, providing care and support that without, would have made victory impossible.
I am always humbled in the presence of veterans and in fact find it difficult to hold back tears. They literally saved the World.
One of my proudest moments as a Mom is when I saw my son walk up to veteran, with no prompting on my part, shook his hand and said thank you. My Mother was with me asked what he was doing. I told her and with a tear in my eye, I wanted to yell from the rooftops "That's my boy". And so I encourage all parents, present and future, to make sure your children know, and understand that they are free today because of a veteran. If I may quote Sir Winston Churchill. "Never have so many owed so much to so few."
