Middle and high school history classes gave us the dates, locations, and results of the battles that shaped the future of the United States. We saw numbers on the pages of our history textbooks, numbers that told us how many of our men died and whether or not we won a battle.

After we took our required history classes, we moved on to our careers. We became English teachers, nurses, and mechanical engineers, all the while, we walked past the veterans who stood next to the men who became numbers on a page in a history book. Now, as Memorial Days and Independence Days pass, we reflect on the sacrifices made for our sake.

Dear Veterans,

We want you to know that we see your hard work. We may not have been there with you on your first night of basic training, when you fell asleep missing your family. We weren’t there when you were pushing your body to its limits, trying to be the best you could be. We weren’t there when you arrived at your first assignment, overseas or in a new state, both far from the people you loved.

But we were there when you taught us that responsibility and dependability are two things we need to strive for. We were there when you taught us how to shoot a gun, and when you told us how your father did the same with you. We were there when you taught your sons about being humble, being honorable, and being strong. We were there when you wore your Marine Corps hat with pride, and shouted “Semper Fi” to another veteran across the street.

We can’t know what you saw, or what you had to do when you were fighting for your life, and for our right to be free. We know that it can be hard to talk about, so forgive us if we ask something too hard to answer. We just want you to know that while we can’t understand what you’ve been through, we want to be an anchor for you; a safe place to come back to when your memories of war are pressing on your heart.

Most of all, we want to say thank you. Thank you for being a soldier. Thank you for being brave and strong for your country and your family. Thank you for our freedom, and all you’ve done to fight for it.

Sincerely,

A Grateful Citizen

We watch the news, and we see pictures of foreign places flash across the screens, and we don’t fully understand that those places are filled with men and women who have volunteered their lives and talents to serve their country. While the United States has changed a great deal, the military and its members and values remain steady and unwavering. Honor, strength, brotherhood and dedication to country remain some of the most important aspects of military life, just as they were in the time of our country’s beginning.

Dear Present Military,

We thank you for being the honorable and strong men and women you are. Thank you for stepping up when others did not. We know that the state of our country is constantly changing and becoming more tense day after day, but you remain a reliable part of the sometimes chaotic system.

We wave goodbye at airports, and we run to hug you when you return, because we want you to know how appreciated you are. You sacrifice your time, your energy, and sometimes your lives because you believe that you have been called to fight for your country. We thank you for answering that call.

We know that the dangers you face while serving your country can sometimes leave scars, both on your body and in your mind. We want to be here for you when you return to help you heal. We promise to record every detail of every moment that you might miss. We’ll take pictures and write in journals, so that when you come home, you’ll be able to experience everything you missed.

We hope you never feel like you aren’t appreciated. We celebrate your courage and your service, not just on days like Memorial Day and the Fourth of July, but every day.

Sincerely,

A Grateful Citizen

Dear Future Military,

Right now, you’re probably planning out the next five to ten years of your life. And thankfully, you have felt the call to serve your country, and made that a part of your future plans. It might be because you have family members who served, or because you want to do everything you can to help make the world a better and safer place for those you love. Either way, you have decided to step up and take your place in a line of honorable men.

The journey that you are about to embark upon is not an easy one. But at the end of each day, you will be able to put your head on your pillow and know that you did good work, and that you served your country well.

We will support you, reassure you, and be your safe place. We will appreciate your service, and thank you for your bravery. We can’t always promise to understand what you go through, but because you try your hardest every day to keep us safe, we will try our hardest to be there when you need someone to lean on.

Sincerely,

A Grateful Citizen

These three groups of people are connected by their call to serve, and the rest of us are connected by our gratitude to them.

Happy Independence Day to both the men and women who served, serve, and will serve, and to the grateful citizens who appreciate their service.