I must admit, I wish I did not take for granted everything I do.

I often find myself getting upset about little things; bits of road rage, annoyance of people who are loud eaters, and an utter dislike for the Kardashian family.

In retrospect, however, all of these things are so minuscule and petty, that I shouldn't even be concerned about them, yet I continue to be.

But I am thankful for that.

The only reason I can pay any attention to all to these things is because I was fortunate enough to be born in a country where I am able to.

I don’t have to worry about what I am going to eat, or if I will eat at all. I don’t have to worry about having a place to sleep. I was born with the freedom to focus my abilities and directing my energy toward getting an education rather than fighting to survive.

I owe much of this to the men and women we remember this Monday, the last Monday in May.

The sacrifices made by members of the armed forces, firefighters, police officers, paramedics, search and rescue, and every other individual who works to ensure the safety and wellbeing of us all are the ones we honor today.

So I would like to send a thousand thank you’s today to all those who have lost their lives in the line of duty, but a thousand is not enough, nor is a million, nor a billion. There is no real way for me to truly express my gratitude to what these men and women gave.

When hell erupts on earth these are the men and women who refuse to run from the devil.

These are the individuals who run toward what we run from.

So on this day we need to remember to put aside our petty transgressions and remember those who have made the ultimate sacrifice. As well as those who continue to serve every day.

It seems a shame that we only do this once a year, but it is because of these individuals that we do not have to think of these things on a regular basis. We do not have to worry about war on our streets. We do not have to worry about our survival. We do not have to live in fear. We owe this to these fearless individuals.

So on this day we close the doors to businesses, and we are allowed to spend the day with our family and friends; grilling out, spending time out by the lake or pool, having fun and celebrating life. Doing these activities is the ultimate celebration of what these individuals gave, because it is thanks to them that we can exercise these freedoms.

So one last time in this article I want to say thank you again. Thank you to all men and women that serve this country. We owe so much to you.

We owe everything to you.