I am a: Quirky sysadmin. Geek. Gamer. Comic fangirl. My little space, my home on the interwebs. I blog about personal stuffs, work, various coding projects, and anything else I feel like.

During our Thanksgiving celebratory lunch today at work, someone posed this question: “For what are you thankful?” Most everyone had the same answers: family, work, health, …

The merriment continued, and a good time was had by all. After a round of desserts, I went back to my desk and quietly reflected. I would add one more item to that list of things for which I’m thankful — freedom. My Cotillion sister, RightwingSparkle summed it up nicely in her post earlier today: Freedom. It isn’t free, and it isn’t a gift.

While we were on vacation, I had the opportunity to meet a couple veterans and a soldier who were staying in our hotel, vacationing with their families. As I do here at home, I thanked them for their service and handed them a card with the Soldiers’ Angels information on it. One morning at breakfast, I thanked a Vietnam vet. He looked at me with warm, grateful eyes and stammered a quiet “Thank You.” His wife came by our table and thanked me a few minutes later with tears in her eyes.

No one had ever thanked him for his service.

As I’ve stated before, too often we take our liberties for granted. Sadly, those who have made those liberties possible, along with those who now defend them, don’t get anything near the recognition and thanks that they deserve. It saddens me to think that many never have, or quite possibly, never will.

Tomorrow, when you are thinking about those things for which you’re thankful, please remember freedom. If you get the chance, thank a soldier or thank a veteran. And if you are of the praying kind, please remember those in uniform who are out there defending our freedom.