Tuesday, September 29, 2009

Freedom isn't free


We live in an area where there are many retirement communities, hence many veterans. We are continually touched by the many sincere words of thanks and encouragement that Dave receives when he is in uniform and out in public. On Friday night Dave took a break from work to go out to dinner with me. A gentleman came up and thanked Dave for his service and said he would like to pay for our dinner. This has actually happened a few times since we have lived here. Even as we left the restaurant other older gentlemen offered words of appreciation.


The older generation understands sacrifice for the freedoms we have a little more than the younger generation I fear. Patriotism is taught in the home first. Are we teaching our children the love of freedom and the price that others have paid for our freedom.? Also the price that we must be willing to continually pay to ensure we always enjoy it?


What a blessing to live in this great nation and enjoy the freedoms we do. I forget so often. I am thankful for the reminder given to me by the freedom loving veterans in our area.


oh, and any time you would like to take us out to dinner we are available. ha ha ha.


Enjoy the quotes below......



These are the times that try men's souls. The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of their country; but he that stands it now, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman." -Thomas Paine



"In the beginning of a change, the patriot is a scarce man, brave, hated, and scorned. When his cause succeeds however, the timid join him, For then it costs nothing to be a patriot."

-Mark Twain


"Let every nation know, whether it wishes us well or ill, that we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe, to assure the survival and success of liberty." -John F. Kennedy


"We have enjoyed so much freedom for so long that we are perhaps in danger of forgetting how much blood it cost to establish the Bill of Rights." -Felix Frankfurter



"The liberties of our country, the freedom of our civil Constitution, are worth defending at all hazards; and it is our duty to defend them against all attacks. We have received them as a fair inheritance from our worthy ancestors: they purchased them for us with toil and danger and expense of treasure and blood, and transmitted them to us with care and diligence. It will bring an everlasting mark of infamy on the present generation, enlightened as it is, if we should suffer them to be wrested from us by violence without a struggle, or to be cheated out of them by the artifices of false and designing men." -Samuel Adams


"No man is entitled to the blessings of freedom unless he be vigilant in its preservation."

-Douglas MacArthur



They that give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety.
- Benjamin Franklin



Those who deny freedom to others deserve it not for themselves. ~Abraham Lincoln

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

thanks for the reminder. the other day i was at the grocery store and i saw a man wearing a korean war hat. i asked if he served there and he said yes. i then shook his hand and thanked him for his service. he said to me. "how about a hug for my service?" so of course i gave him a hug. (his wife was right there :) ) and then he said, "i served in korea on TWO seperate missions." so, he got another hug! :) you know how old men love me, lo sai? ti ricordi????
loved all of the quotes too!
ciao ciaO!!!!!!

Amie said...

So cool...and yes, thanks to Dave and the many others like him!

Anonymous said...

awesome

Kendra said...

Thanks for the reminder Heather! And thanks to Dave, and your family, for the sacrifices. :)