A Veteran's Day Post

Although a day late, it's never too late to say thank you.

Many of us have heard and seen parts of the following quotation used in TV and movie titles, but don't know the source:

From this day to the ending of the world,

But we in it shall be remember’d;

We few, we happy few, we band of brothers;

For he to-day that sheds his blood with me

Shall be my brother; be he ne’er so vile,

This day shall gentle his condition.

~Shakespeare, Henry V, Act 4, Scene 3

I have brothers and sisters all over the world with whom I have a complete unspoken understanding on a wide range of subjects and values. With the words, 'I served...' nothing more needs to be said.

We shared similar experiences. We endured similar trials and measured ourselves against similar standards. It doesn't matter what branch, task, or rank... for a time we served our countries and followed orders (even if we didn't always agree with, or fully understand them). We set aside, for a time, the concept of 'I', and became part of a 'we'. We relied on others, and others relied on us. That reliance was complete and reciprocal. Our lives depended on that mutual trust.

It's all understood with that short opening phrase; 'I served...'.

Thank you, my brothers and sisters, for your service.

 

 

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