not just another day to not get mail...

I have always sort of lumped Veteran's Day into a category with Columbus Day and President's day...sort of quasi-holidays where you didn't get mail.

I am from a generation of which little was required in terms of sacrifice for country. I missed the draft and was never inclined to volunteer. I do not come from a family where serving in the armed forces was part of the fabric of life. That is not a "for better or worse" judgment, just a statement of fact. I do not have anyone in my immediate family who was in the armed services.

So I suppose that is why Veteran's Day has never registered. Simply that no one I know very well is a veteran.

Kenzo sings in the chorus at school and today they had a Veteran's Day program. So more out of obligation to see Kenzo be part of the middle school chorus for the first time I attended the program.

And it was amazing.

The centerpiece of the event was a personal recognition of all the veteran's attending.

Name, rank, branch of service and any interesting details. Medals, valor, heroism, service, courage, and on and on.

What struck me though, more than the exotic ports of call for service or participation in battles I had read about was the fact the least amount of time anyone served was three years.

Three years of their lives.

When they were 18 or 20 or 25 years old.

When I was 18 or 20 or 25 years old I was not willing or interested in doing anything beyond what was serving my personal interests for more than three minutes.

I think I need to meet some more veteran's and remember that Veteran's Day is more than a day I do not get mail.