To the men and women defending our country,
I’ve grown up in a very pro-military household. My uncle is a retired Sergeant Major of the Joint Communications Unit, my cousin has served in Afghanistan, and my second cousin is in the Air Force. My mother and I used to make blankets and care packages to send to soldiers overseas and I would sometimes fundraise to buy them a few more expensive care items. You don't realize how much of a privilege it is to have a bar of soap and a good pair of socks until you hear that your cousin who’s deployed is asking for some. While I believe that our soldiers deserve the very best of everything, I can’t change that, What I can do is say thank you. I can’t say it enough, but thank you.
Thank you for going through Hell and back so that I can go to school or to work or shopping without being afraid. Without you, I would not be where I am today. Quite honestly, I don’t want to even think about where I would be. It is because of you that I am able to live my best life and chase after my dreams. It is because of you that I can dress the way I want to and move freely throughout my hometown without the fear of being bombed or assaulted. It is because of you that I am able to go to school everyday to receive an education.
Thank you for the sacrifices you have made. You have given up luxuriously long hot showers, hot meals with your family, and a cozy bed to climb into a night. You have given up your ability to wake up and go to bed when you want to, or to watch your favorite TV show when it airs, or to even dress the way that you would like to so that I can.
To the men who have missed the birth of their child and then women who have missed their children’s major milestones, thank you. I could not imagine what it feels like for a parent or spouse to not be there for their loved ones when they desperately needed to be. You are strong and your families are too. Thank you to the military wives who suffered through labor alone, thank you to the military daughter who missed out on the father daughter dance, and thank you to the military son who had to become the man of the house far too young.
As my younger brother prepares to embark on his own military career I am praying for all of your safety. I wish you all the very best when you return home. I hope that you are able to take as many hot showers as you wish and that you get to sit around the table having dinner with your family once again. I hope that you are able to find peace and happiness when you return from war and that you receive only love from your fellow Americans. I have the upmost respect for every single one of you and I always will. I cannot put into words how thankful I am for the sacrifices you and your families have made so that my family and I could live happily and comfortably here in this beautiful country that we call home. Thank you for defending the land of the free by being the brave.
Sincerely,
A very grateful American citizen
