Happy Veteran's Day. Not only is it Veteran's Day in America but it is the same holiday in Europe as well. Students have the day off. A lot of businesses, shops, and restaurants are closed today. Things are pretty quiet in Strasbourg because of the holiday.
My daughter and I attended a military service this morning in the Place de la Republique. We didn't stay for the entire ceremony but I appreciated what I saw. It reminded me to be thankful that I live a life of independence and freedom. I am also very blessed with a life full of peace.
It feels a bit odd to be writing about Veteran's Day as a citizen of the United States living in a foreign country. I know exactly what I would say if I had only an American viewpoint. I would write about how thankful I am for the men and women keeping me safe and protected. But I don't live in my sheltered American bubble anymore. Today I watched a ceremony dedicated to soldiers who may or may not keep my country of origin safe. Currently France and America are friends but peace between countries is always tenuous. But that doesn't mean that these individual soldiers are any less brave, courageous, or committed to protecting what they value as American veterans are. The only difference between them is the country they are loyal to.
Today I am thankful for people who are willing to dedicate their lives to causes that they truly believe in. Being a member of any military, from any country, is a great act of loyalty and self-sacrifice. On a personal note, I am thankful for the opportunity to see a different side of a concept that I would never have examined if I had only ever lived in the United States.
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| Flowers to adorn the statue of the fallen soldiers |
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| Veterans greeting each other |
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| This little girl was trying her best to see the proceedings. |
What thoughtful and important words you said in your blog, that helps all who read your blog to remember that we can kind of lose sight of the world around us. Imagine if we all decided to pay attention like that more often? Wouldn't we realize that people around the world are more similar than different?
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