It’s fitting that my youngest child was a September child. Today is his birthday and as he giggled and rolled around, getting out of bed to pitter patter down the hall to find his mother, I paused and gave thanks for this moment.
I served as a Marine and know all too well the birthdays, weddings, engagement parties I have missed. The losses, funerals, and sorrowful moments too. They will never come back to me, but that is what I chose.
So, on this day, I want to reach out to all of you who have served, and who have a spouse or loved one out there, not home.
I want to say “Thank you for your sacrifice and carrying on” so that I may have this moment, this day with my son.
While all this world is clamoring around us to distract us and make noise, on this day and tomorrow I hope we can find the time to pause and slow down enough to ponder and remember what living our lives for others truly means. Find that time for a respectful moment of silence and remembrance.
Thank you, and carry on.
James Allen