This Christmas will be the first time in eighteen years I won’t be able to spend the day with my parents. I mean, I get a couple of hours at home with my parents, but then I have to drive to Waco to get on the bus with the rest of the Baylor University Golden Wave Marching Band, and then drive about twenty hours to Tempe Arizona to support our football team in the Cactus Bowl. I know it’s going to be an incredible trip, especially because the university has to make up for making us leave on Christmas, but I really wish that I could spend the day with my parents like I’ve always done. While I was thinking about how I wouldn’t be able to spend Christmas Day with my family, I started to think of all the other people who have to miss Christmas Day with their families all the time. Obviously, the football players, spirit squad members, and band members who also have to attend bowl games on the day of and close to the holidays don’t get to spend the holidays with their families. In addition to them, and honestly much more important- no offense- are the men and women who serve and fight for our country every day- the police officers, the fire fighters, the EMS workers, and the members of our armed forces. These people who serve our country have to miss spending Christmas in addition to so many other holidays throughout the year- they miss Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year’s Eve, New Year’s Day, Valentine’s Day, St. Patrick’s Day, Mardi Gras, Good Friday, Easter, Fourth of July, Halloween, Thanksgiving Day, family birthdays, and the list goes on. Here I am complaining about only having a couple of hours at home on Christmas before I get the opportunity to go on a really fun trip with my closest friends when there are men and women who are out there serving my country who have to leave their families all the time, and have to miss months of their families’ lives at a time.

Realizing that, really put everything in perspective. As a result, I just wanted to write something to thank the men and women who serve our country every day- even on Christmas Day.

Thank you for sacrificing your time and risking your lives to keep our country the land of the free and the home of the brave. Thank you for putting your love of your country above yourself. Thank you for everything you do that keeps America not only safe, but also free. Just thank you for everything you do, and thank you for serving our country even when you would much rather be spending those days, especially the holidays, with your families.