Today, on Veterans Day, we are showing appreciation for our veterans in a variety of ways.
To start the day, two of our activity team members visited with veterans, presented each one with a Certificate of Recognition, and read them a thank you message:
Dear Veterans, Those of us who have not served will never fully understand the sacrifices you’ve made both in times of peace and war. We will never fully understand what you were required to do or how you were able to do it. We will never fully understand the depth of your scars. But what we can offer you is this: We see you. We recognize your humanity. And we send you love that is gentle, patient and healing. With blessings and gratitude, we ask that you remember you are loved. Thank you. (Author unknown)
As an extra day brightener, we’re sharing a recording of one of our chaplains, Pastor Bill Miller, playing piano and singing a few patriotic hymns from Bethesda’s hymnal. Click here to watch the YouTube video and sing along, as we honor all who have served the United States of America.
This year marks several significant military moments, including the 75th anniversary of the end of World War II, the 70th anniversary of the beginning of the Korean War, and the 30th anniversary of the beginning of Desert Shield. This year also marks the 384th birthday of the National Guard; the 245th birthday of three military branches – the U.S. Army, the U.S. Marine Corps, and the U.S. Navy; as well as the 230th birthday of the U.S. Coast Guard; and the 73rd birthday of the U.S. Air Force.
The theme for Veterans Day 2020 is, “Vision: Veterans in Focus.” A statement from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs describes the theme: “All veterans make a sacrifice to serve their country, whether physically, emotionally, or by being away from their loved ones and missing important life moments. As the saying goes, hindsight is always 20/20. Looking back on centuries of veterans’ service and sacrifice and what we have learned from the past, we must always maintain the vision for the future of veterans. Putting the veteran at the center, on Veterans Day we continue to honor all who served, while focusing on the needs of the next generation of veterans.”
We are blessed to have so many veterans with us here at Bethesda. This Veterans Day, we honor all the men and women who have served our country, and we thank them for their service and sacrifice.
