It's that time of year again.....a week before Christmas. It's the time when most who celebrate are pre-occupied and stressed, focused on last minute preparations that will hopefully guarantee the perfect holiday. The truth of the matter is that nothing can guarantee that - the perfect holiday. No matter what we buy, how much or how little we spend, how decked out our homes might be, how hard we've strived to buy the perfect gift - at the end of the day, almost everyone has something weighing on them, something that casts just even a small shadow on 'the perfect holiday'.
John and I try to pay a visit to the Gerald B. Solomon National Cemetery in Schuylerville a handful of times each year. Driving through this sacred resting place is sobering. One might say that about any cemetery and we certainly spend a good deal of time in a few of our local favorites, but there's something about this cemetery that just hits differently. It could be the uniform placement of identical gravestones, it could be the pristine landscape that provides a massive view as far as the eye can see, but for me, I think it's knowing that every person interred here (even a spouse of a service member) has sacrificed for our freedom...every....single....one of them. That sacrifice may have been a short stint or a life-long career, but the people laid to rest here share one common thing. They each gave so we could live free.
This year, Wreaths Across America collected donations in order to place 17,000 wreaths in this cemetery alone. In addition to this cemetery, more than two million volunteers and supporters gather to remember, honor and lay wreaths at more than 5,200 participating locations in all 50 states, at sea and abroad. Donors could give for a specific grave or just make a general donation. We've been donating for several years, some general wreath donations and for one specific grave - that of my great uncle George and great Aunt Harriet. Last Saturday almost 1000 people gathered to volunteer their time to place wreaths on every grave at this one cemetery alone....such a beautiful way to pay tribute to these folks, yet such a small sacrifice compared to the one they've given for us.
This year, whether everything in your little corner of the world is perfect and plentiful or if, like most of us, you have things you're struggling with, or grieving over, or praying for resolution for, I hope you will stop for a moment to remember and thank all the service members who gave so much so we can enjoy life even under circumstances that are not so perfect. I'm hopeful that taking a moment to appreciate those who have gone before us, those who fought for our freedom, some of whom paid the ultimate price, will for a moment help you feel a little more blessed and be a reminder that this holiday is not just for sparkling lights and perfectly wrapped presents. Even the best of those things won't make your troubles disappear, your bank account feel bigger or your worries feel smaller. But, when we take a moment to think of others, not just the heroes but those in our communities who are struggling with their own demons, we are reminded that we each have blessings we can be thankful for. Today though, let's be thankful for this group of individuals and their families.
