I haven’t gotten my dates mixed up. I know we will soon be celebrating Labor Day, but I am writing this about Veterans Day, on Nov. 11.
I have been reading about our disabled American veterans, and this seemed like a very important time, with the way things are transpiring in our country and really all over the world, to address this very important matter.
To those of us who have never served in the military, I don’t imagine we give a whole lot of thought to it. I confess I haven’t. And that is a grave error, because most of the freedoms we enjoy today are made possible by our disabled American veterans.
I don’t know a lot about our military, but the bottom line is, our men and women are out there fighting on our behalf, and countless numbers of them have come home disabled.
They are lucky they don’t come home in body bags. But still, our disabled veterans come home to face incredible odds. Not intentionally, maybe, but still.
I can guarantee you one thing. I doubt seriously that you will hear one of these former soldiers, who might have lost an arm or a leg or have some other disability, complaining or belly-aching about it, or putting our country down.
Why? Because these men and women are the salt of the earth. They are God-fearing individuals who put the welfare of their country before themselves.
I just bet that if you ask one of our disabled veterans, they would say they were proud to fight and defend their country and fellow Americans to ensure all the freedoms we enjoy today.
But just because so very many veterans happen to be disabled, it doesn’t mean that they are supposed to be treated any differently from the rest of us. Just the opposite.
They are some of the bravest folks you or I will ever come across. They knew when they left their home and loved ones that they might never see either again. But they were willing to put their own lives on the line.
So I have a favor to ask. When you go to God in prayer, never forget our service men and women and their families.
— Debbie Touchstone, Jayess
