It has been over a month since I have blogged. I announced my news about my job at Rogers Middle School (http://jaredhines27.blogspot.com/2014/05/sowhat-is-next.html) and was amazed by the amount of compliments and support that I got. It was truly amazing. It was also easily my most read blog that I have written so again thank you for taking the time out of your day to read this blog and every other one that you read.
With 4th of July coming on Friday and the World Cup a little over halfway done, we as a country have been surrounded by Patriotism. The amount of USA outfits for support of the Soccer team along with the amount of USA stuff in the stores for the 4th is enough for us to believe that Red, White, and Blue are actually the only colors that exist.
So with 4th of July coming and the celebration of our freedom, I chose to write about my new appreciation for people who are in the military. From a personal standpoint, I don't know that many people in the military. A few people I graduated with chose that path and I have had family members serve but I never really thought much of it. I knew for a fact it wasn't for me, but I was never against the amount of money spent on our defense system or anything like that. (I don't really like talking about politics at all for as a matter of fact.)
So why do I now have a sudden new appreciation for members of the military service as well as their families? All signs point to my morning job that I have been doing for about a month now. As I mentioned in my last blog I have been delivering lunches to the MEPS building in Minneapolis Monday through Friday. When I get there I set up the lunches and beverages and then just hang out and wait until people come through the line. I see mostly men but also a handful of young women come in as well. Their ages range from 18-30 and they come from the Army, Navy, National Guard, Marine Corps, Coast Guard, and Air Force.
I didn't really know what they were doing at the MEPS building until I started hearing some of their conversations and having conversations with them as well. Some of them are entering and swearing in for the first time. Others are shipping off to basic training that same day, and I am essentially giving them their last meal in MN for who knows how long.
I started talking to some of these men and women and I always ask why they decided to join the military. Most of their answers differ. Some wanted their college paid for. Others families were rich in tradition and joining the military was one of the traditions the men in the family had. Lastly, a lot of them say that it is an honor to serve our country and defend for our freedom. Imagine that coming out of an 18 year old mouth and you will realize how powerful those words hit me when I heard them for the first time. These are kids, most of them fresh out of high school and off to defend their country. Many of them won't be going overseas but you know some of them will as well. The sacrifice these men and women are making is astonishing to me, and I never really appreciated it until I saw the passion that they had for their new "job" of defending the United States of America.
I also have a new respect for the families of Military members and significant others of new military members as well. Almost daily I see one of the young men and women walk into the cafeteria with tears in their eyes because they have just said goodbye to their family and/or their boyfriend or girlfriend. Much like going off to college and the feeling I felt when my family left, I can't imagine leaving them and not knowing when I would see them again. The amount of strength these families have to be able to go to bed every night, not knowing where their son or daughter is amazes me.
So if you see a member of the military over the 4th of July weekend, reach out and shake their hand and simply thank them. Thank them for sacrificing themselves to defend for our freedom. I have learned how far a simple thank you can go. If you attend church or are religious, simply state a prayer for our members of service both home and abroad who can't be with their families like most of us get to every day.
Have a great 4th of July weekend from my family to yours,
-J-
