On our drive to the beach, we passed row upon row of American flags. I asked Jack if he knew what today was, why he got to stay home from school. I explained that today is Veterans Day, and asked if he knew what that meant. I said that a veteran was someone who had been an American soldier. I said that in some parts of the world, people aren't free to make their own choices the way we can; we can go to whatever church we want to, Jack can go to school wherever we think is best, we have beautiful parks and beaches to play in, Dad has a good job, Mom and Dad both went to college, we have policemen and firemen to protect us. I explained that some people in other parts of the world don't have those things, and that we have them because thousands of American soldiers have fought to keep those things for us. I told him that he even knows a few veterans. He thought for a minute, then shouted "Ryan!"
I said yes, and that both of his Grandpas are also veterans and Mom's cousin Michael.
On Veteran's Day, we enjoyed the freedom to chase birds on the beach.
We got beach debris stuck in our boogers, which we thought was pretty funny.
For a while, it got funnier.
And for a brief minute, it stopped being quite so funny. Maybe it was even sad.
But we recovered our sense of humor. Then we cleaned our face.
We even watched a baby seal nap in the sunshine. He was so quiet we didn't realize he was there, but once we spotted him I quickly snapped a few pictures and then we moved down the beach to give him some space. I showed Jack but thought it best not to point him out to Matteas, who tends to have no fear of animals and also a desire to bring them home with us.
We didn't do anything particularly patriotic on Veterans Day, we pretty much just acted like normal Americans. The older I get the more I realize what a privilege that is. I'm so grateful that my children have the luxury of a "normal" childhood, that they've never worried about where they will get food or medicine, that they've never been racially or religiously persecuted, that they have the innocence and the opportunity to spend an afternoon at the beach collecting treasures.
On our drive to the beach, we passed row upon row of American flags. I asked Jack if he knew what today was, why he got to stay home from school. I explained that today is Veterans Day, and asked if he knew what that meant. I said that a veteran was someone who had been an American soldier. I said that in some parts of the world, people aren't free to make their own choices the way we can; we can go to whatever church we want to, Jack can go to school wherever we think is best, we have beautiful parks and beaches to play in, Dad has a good job, Mom and Dad both went to college, we have policemen and firemen to protect us. I explained that some people in other parts of the world don't have those things, and that we have them because thousands of American soldiers have fought to keep those things for us. I told him that he even knows a few veterans. He thought for a minute, then shouted "Ryan!"
I said yes, and that both of his Grandpas are also veterans and Mom's cousin Michael.
On Veteran's Day, we enjoyed the freedom to chase birds on the beach.
We got beach debris stuck in our boogers, which we thought was pretty funny.
For a while, it got funnier.
And for a brief minute, it stopped being quite so funny. Maybe it was even sad.
But we recovered our sense of humor. Then we cleaned our face.
We even watched a baby seal nap in the sunshine. He was so quiet we didn't realize he was there, but once we spotted him I quickly snapped a few pictures and then we moved down the beach to give him some space. I showed Jack but thought it best not to point him out to Matteas, who tends to have no fear of animals and also a desire to bring them home with us.
We didn't do anything particularly patriotic on Veterans Day, we pretty much just acted like normal Americans. The older I get the more I realize what a privilege that is. I'm so grateful that my children have the luxury of a "normal" childhood, that they've never worried about where they will get food or medicine, that they've never been racially or religiously persecuted, that they have the innocence and the opportunity to spend an afternoon at the beach collecting treasures.
2 comments:
Matteas is UBER cute with that hat on. And I love his booger pictures. :)
It looks like a wonderful way to spend a Veteran's Day!
Just had to mention- you're the second Tirzah I've ever "met". I have a seven year old niece named Tirzah, but, other than in the Bible, I'd never heard of anyone else with that name. Pretty, anyways! : )
http://excerpts-kristin.blogspot.com/
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