I’m a pansy when compared to the men and women of the United States military. I know it, you know it and most likely they know it. Yet, surprisingly, the majority of encouraging letters I receive on a daily basis come straight from the members of America’s armed forces. Their letters are consistently uplifting, conveying to me that what I do is “just as brave as fighting for our country in a foxhole,” Or that, “I use a gun, you use a microphone.”
The truth is that these people should be emailing me with slurs like, “Until you’ve been shot at, you should shut your mouth and let the real soldiers do the fighting,” or “Come out to Iraq smart-ass, and bring a change of pants with you”… Yet you never run into that kind of vitriol spewing from these commendable folks. Contrary to what most of Hollywood will tell you, the men and women of our armed forces are the best among us. Not only because of how they serve, but because they are able to find the best in each other… And they are able to encapsulate the best in all of us.
See, when you have to work as a unit, building one another up serves a purpose. What’s the point in tearing down the person who has your life in their hands?
The truth is that today, we all want to honor these people with our thanks. I say however, that there is no greater act of gratitude than emulation… And we could all stand to learn by acting more like America’s best.
God bless America, God bless the troops.