I wanted to take a few moments to say a few things about Thanksgiving and what it means to this Sailor's wife.
First, thank you for the freedom that you provide for all American citizens and freedom loving people of the world. Freedom is not something that can be seen to the average American, but for those that yearn to have it; you represent the brightest light towards it. Don't forget it!
Thank you for weathering vilification, negative media blitzes, anti-war protesters, politicians who give themselves pay raises and not you, Commander In Chief changes, long deployments, endless hours, loss of home life, loss of family quality time, loss of your own freedoms to choose what you would like to do for the day, or not having the opportunity to say "goodnight" to your children.
Thank you for doing a thankless job to those that don't understand what "Thank You" means nor those that have the courage to say it lest it be politically incorrect.
Thank you for providing an answer to every dictator, oppressor, totalitarian, murderer, rapist, and anti-American who fear giving power to their own people.
Thank you for providing hope for many of the oppressed people that live under the above mentioned situations. They may not say it openly or proudly, but they will march the streets waving American flags when they have experienced freedom for the first time.
Thank you for carrying on a tradition that has been passed on from one generation to the next in this country. There are two ways to best serve: serve God or country. If we can't muster enough decent people to serve our country proudly, we only have ourselves to blame. We have taken you for granted for too long. For this, I'm sorry.
Thank you for being able to read through the political smokescreens that politicians spew for the television cameras. Your job is to defend America. Not to defend the actions and words of a few who simply don't get it or refuse to.
Most of all, thank you for my freedom. Thank you for allowing me to freely play on the computer, work, love my family, meet new people, and to cherish lifelong friends. In many countries, I would be dead or jailed for such activity. In America, it was a birthright given to me from my birth. It is not one that I shall take for granted. If I do, please God don't let me forget. Thank you to one and all serving out there. I'm proud to be an American and I'm proud to know that there are brave men and women that fight on our behalf.
Happy Thanksgiving!!