05/25/2026
I wrote this years ago but still feel the same today:
Earlier today I saw a post which stated there is no glory or heroes in war, that glory comes from those who try to prevent war. While I understand the sentiment behind these words I respectfully disagree.
This picture of Arlington Cemetery is just a small representation of the hundreds of thousands of graves in cemeteries all over this nation which reverentially hold those who've dutifully given all to serve their country. While the image is solemn, even serene; the reality is these men and women relinquished their aspirations, forsook their livelihoods, left behind their families, faced fear, endured violence, shed their blood, and gave the ultimate sacrifice to honor a personal code. In some cases, we may not agree with the act of war or those who lead us into it, but there can be no denying the conviction behind those who believe in sacred principles and willingly offer themselves as protectors of such; free men and women who stand before tyrants for a cause they believe is just.
While we often associate valor with those who've bravely faced the atrocities of the battlefield (which we should) we sometimes forget those who return from war and continue to fight demons unseen. For some, patriotism is a word thrown around on Memorial Day or the 4th of July. For others, it is holding a comrade in their arms while the life bleeds out of them and assuring them all will be ok. It's soldiers who miss the births of their babies, the first words or steps of their toddlers, the first date, or the graduations of their teenagers. It's soldiers who miss night after night of tucking their babies in bed or playing catch in the backyard. It's soldiers who don't get to touch or talk to their loved ones for months on end. It's soldiers who hold the hands of little children in foreign countries, play ball, hold them while they weep for the loss of loved ones, give water and food, leave behind pieces of themselves to be remembered by. It's soldiers who come home, close their eyes, and have to relive every horrific moment, hear every cry of sorrow or agony. Patriotism is not a word, it is a feeling born in the hearts of men and women who will stand for something greater than themselves.
Please do not tell me there are no heroes in war. Even our Savior said there is no greater love than laying down your life for a friend. Thousands upon thousands of crosses, gravestones, and markers stand as stark reminders of heroes, past and present. To all, here and gone, who have served our beloved nation, given a part of yourself you thought you might never have to give, we say thank you. Thank you.
