On November 11th, people come together to honor those who have previously served and are currently serving the nation. Parades and parties are held with activities being participated in. Voices vibrate throughout a room as veterans and other similar figures give speeches and tell tales from experiences. The thoughts of a person’s effort being recognized comes into light. Joy begins to spread like wildfire.
This holiday happens similar to this now, but it hasn’t always been like this. The idea originated on the first anniversary of the armistice (agreement to end a war) that ended World War I in 1918. This day came to be called Armistice Day. However, this day did not become an official United States holiday until 1938. After World War II, and some time to think, the day was tweaked and the name changed to Veterans Day to honor the soldiers who served in all United States wars, not just World War I. This name change began a tradition at the Arlington National Cemetery. During that time, the president would lay a wreath (an arrangement of flowers in a ring to decorate a grave) on the grave of the Unknown Soldier, a grave for all those whose remains were not found or identified.
Coming back from a trip to the past, the present Veterans Day and Memorial Day are often confused as one in the same. However, there is a great significant difference between these two American holidays. Memorial Day is a day set aside to honor those who died serving their country. This is usually linked to those who died in battle or died because of wounds given during said battle. Veterans Day is for thanking and honoring everyone who served their country, whether they are alive, dead, served in action, served in peace, or barely served at all. It is to acknowledge contributions and appreciate all that has been done to keep the United States safe by the veterans.
Honoring a veteran or soldier can be done in a multitude of ways. One way that sounds small but has an extremely big impact is saying ‘thank you’. This little appreciative gesture takes an extremely short portion of time and, with passion, may make the person feel as though what they have accomplished has truly been worth it. Another nice way to honor a veteran is to treat them to a meal. This activity will allow the person one is treating to get a moment and enjoy a meal while being able to retell their experiences.
To honor an unfamiliar veteran or soldier, there are different opportunities. Volunteering is a major player; one can ask around a local charity or a local establishment if they have any promising volunteer opportunities. There is also the idea to donate to a cause that supports veterans. There are multiple examples of these types of foundations two being the Wounded Warrior Project or the USO. These organizations can be contacted easily by inputting their names into Google and contacting them through their website.
Veterans day is a day to show support and honor those who have served so committing to anything listed can improve a person’s mood and may even benefit you in a way with experience or happiness, maybe even both. So, if there is time to spare, try to do any of these listed ideas and see how it can change you and improve the mood of one who has previously served or is currently serving.
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