"As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them."

~John Fitzgerald Kennedy

Today is Veterans Day. Every year we take time to write about how grateful we are for our veterans, even if some of these years what we have written and what others have so eloquently penned barely have been noticed or appreciated.

This year we feel is different because of the hard economic times most of us are experiencing in one form or another; it brings home the fact that as bad as it seems, it could be worse.

That fact that it is not worse is because of the hundreds of thousands of our forefathers, our relatives and our neighbors who have gone off to new frontiers and fought to protect our many freedoms.

Many of these brave souls have spilled their blood in those far off places; many have come home scarred for life from the experiences they have endured.

If you are or have been one of those brave souls, thank you for your bravery and courage. The results have lessened our own miseries.

For those of us who have not served, we can only do our best to carry on and continue to insure that this great country that you have so ably defended is run in a manner that ensures that our freedoms are preserved for generations to come.

May God bless our veterans today. If you have one near you, reach over and give them a big hug. If you have one in service right now, stop what you're doing and drop them a note or give them a call if you can, and let them know you are thinking of them.

If you have a veteran that didn't come home, please feel free to shed a tear of gratitude from all of us who are the beneficiary of their strong hearts.

We owe an obligation to our veterans; we have to carry on with the same determination that they have and are showing right now to protect us.

We salute our veterans, and we pray for the day that their service is no longer needed.

God bless our veterans and God bless our homeland that they defend.