Sunday, November 14, 2010

Emotions

This time of year starts to invoke many emotions in people. I feel like Veteran's Day is the kickoff to the season of gratitude, honor, family, being thankful and then giving way to the holiday season. Veteran's Day was first started as Armistice Day proclaimed by President Wilson in 1919 - a day to be dedicated to the cause of world peace and to be thereafter celebrated and known as "Armistice Day." Armistice Day was primarily a day set aside to honor veterans of World War I, but in 1954, after World War II had required the greatest mobilization of soldiers, sailors, Marines and airmen in the Nation’s history; after American forces had fought aggression in Korea, the 83rd Congress, at the urging of the veterans service organizations, amended the Act of 1938 by striking out the word "Armistice" and inserting in its place the word "Veterans." With the approval of this legislation (Public Law 380) on June 1, 1954, November 11th became a day to honor American veterans of all wars.

Whichever way you look at it, and whichever way your dedication and passion for your country comes from, I feel President Eisenhower said it best during the first Veteran's Day proclamation:
"In order to insure proper and widespread observance of this anniversary, all veterans, all veterans' organizations, and the entire citizenry will wish to join hands in the common purpose.

It's everyone coming together no matter what label you have, and paying your respect to the men and women, past and present who have giving everything to protect us and provide us with a free nation.

That feeling of price and honor seems to carry forward to Thanksgiving where many people focus on family, traditions and being thankful for all that they have been blessed with. And then going further and blessing other people.

This is where I wish that more people would carry this with them all year round. What a better world we would live in if we spent more time helping other people and spending less time focused on ourselves.

I'm not without fault and human like everyone else. I find myself "too busy" to do more of what really would have a lasting effect of values and traditions that will be handed down from my own children. This is a year that I want change in my own heart to really see every person
.

As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them. ~John Fitzgerald Kennedy

No comments: