Veterans Day Reflections: Threads of Service

November 11, 2025

Photo by Ian MacDonald on Unsplash

Every Veterans Day, I find myself pausing, to think about what service really means. It’s not just the ceremonies, the folded flags, or the moments of silence (though those matter deeply). For me, it’s the faces and stories that surface. My own memories of service, the friends who became family, and the generations before me who answered the same call.

My time in uniform shaped me in ways I’m still discovering. The military has a way of stripping you down to your essentials, then rebuilding you around something larger than yourself. You learn quickly that courage isn’t loud, and strength isn’t about never being afraid. It’s about showing up, again and again, for the person next to you. It’s about laughter in the middle of exhaustion, the unspoken trust that says, “I’ve got you.”

I think often about the friends I made along the way. Some I still talk to; others I haven’t seen in years. But when our paths cross, sometimes unexpectedly, it’s as if no time has passed at all. There’s a shared understanding there, a quiet bond forged in long nights, long miles, and long goodbyes. Those friendships are the kind you don’t outgrow, they become part of who you are.

Service, though, runs deeper than my own experience. It’s part of my family’s fabric. My dad and father-in-law both served in different branches, but with the same quiet sense of duty. They never wore their service like a badge of honor; they just carried it as part of their story. Speaking with them taught me that patriotism isn’t about words, it’s about character. It’s about showing up for something bigger than yourself, not for recognition, but because it’s the right thing to do.

Then there’s my grandmother, who served as a member of the Women’s Army Corps (WAC) during World War II. She was young, determined, and willing to step into a world that wasn’t ready for women in uniform. Yet she did it anyway. She showed me that service takes many forms, not all of them come with medals or parades. Her courage was quiet but fierce. She didn’t just serve her country; she helped pave the way for the generations of women who came after her. I am very proud of her and the service of all those WACs that served along side of her.

When I think of her, I think of all the unseen sacrifices, the letters written across oceans, the sleepless nights waiting for news, the strength it takes to hold life together while the world feels uncertain. Those stories don’t always make it into history books, but they’re the backbone of who we are.

So today, on Veterans Day, I think of them all, those who served beside me, those who came before me, and those still out there wearing the uniform. I think about what binds us: a shared sense of purpose, a stubborn hope, and a belief that service, however it looks, is still one of the purest expressions of love.

To my friends, my dad, my father-in-law, my grandmother, and every veteran who’s ever carried that weight: thank you.

Your courage echoes through generations and I am proud to be part of that story.