Welcome to Day 11 of our Giving Thanks project. Yesterday we talked about the brave doctors, nurses, and other healthcare workers who continue to go to work every day and risk their own personal safety to take care of patients, many of whom have COVID-19. In many states, they are overwhelmed, overworked, and making many personal sacrifices in the name of taking care of others. Please respect their sacrifice and do your part by wearing a mask and not attending large gatherings. People are dying. If you missed that post, you can find it here: Healthcare Workers
Speaking of bravery, respect, and sacrifice, today is Veterans Day. It is a national holiday for all Americans, and for good reason. Today, we honor America’s veterans for their patriotism, love of country, and willingness to serve and sacrifice for the common good.
According to the US Census Bureau, there were 17.4 million living military veterans in the United States in 2019, and of those 1.6 million are women. The number of veterans continues to shrink each year. Sadly, the number of WWII Veterans drops by about 245 every single day. In 2015, there were almost 1 million living WWII veterans but that number has dropped to about 300,000 today. It is estimated that all WWII veterans will be gone by 2045. It is so important to capture their stories now so that we continue to honor them and their sacrifices for generations to come.
“The willingness of America’s veterans to sacrifice for our country has earned them our lasting gratitude.”
Jeff Miller
Veteran’s Day occurs annually on November 11 and was originally called Armistice Day, named after the end of World War I.
According to History.com, “At the 11th hour on the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918, the Great War ends. At 5 a.m. that morning, Germany, bereft of manpower and supplies and faced with imminent invasion, signed an armistice agreement with the Allies in a railroad car outside Compiégne, France. The First World War left nine million soldiers dead and 21 million wounded, with Germany, Russia, Austria-Hungary, France, and Great Britain each losing nearly a million or more lives. In addition, at least five million civilians died from disease, starvation, or exposure.
“Never was so much owed by so many to so few.”
Winston churchill
If you see a Veteran today, or any day for that matter, please take a moment to THANK them for their service to this country that we love. I think we all know by now that freedom is never free. Indeed, we owe them much.
Until next time, keep looking for the goodness around you.
With gratitude –
Denise 🙂
What a great message. We all have so much to be thankful for these individuals to give so much of themselves for our happiness. I enjoyed learning the roots to Veterans Day. Thank you so much for sharing.
Hi G – I really enjoyed researching the history of Veterans Day. I had no idea that so many people died in WWI. Definitely made me want to learn more about our history. Denise