Does Sitting in Service Count?

   As we celebrated Veteran's Day a few days ago, and remembered those men and women who have served and still serve in our armed forces, my thoughts go back to another similar holiday time.

   Each year, on Memorial Day, our little community has, what is called Taps at Twilight, an event to honor those who have died in service to our country. Additionally, all those who have served in the military are applauded, and this has caused somewhat of a problem for me.

   When they ask for all those in the audience, who have ever served in a branch of military service, to stand and be recognized, I do so reluctantly. It does not seem fitting for me to stand with other men and women who have fought in WWII, or Korea, or Vietnam, or Iraq and Afghanistan. These folk have stood in harm's way, while I have never heard a shot fired in anger.

   In that same audience there are those who served in those wars, have been wounded, have been POWs, or spent their time on active duty, serving in many capacities all over the world. Some were volunteers, and some were drafted. Some spent most of their adult lives making a career of military service.

   The closest that I ever got to active service was being held in the Army past my discharge date in 1961, because of the Berlin crisis; the result of the building of the Wall in that city by the East Germans and Russians. Our unit of the Army Reserve was subject to activation if the crisis resulted in a "hot" war, but it was not, and so, it is hard for me to count that. 

   So, on the outside I am standing with others who have done far more than I to protect our nation and our freedoms, while on the inside I sit and give my thanks to those same men and women who have given so much in this cause, some the ultimate sacrifice.

   As in any endeavor, in a crisis there are at least four different types of responses. There are those who serve, those who are willing and not called upon, those who cannot, and those who will not. 

   As John Milton said in his sonnet On His Blindness:

   "They also serve who only stand and wait."

   That may let me off the hook somewhat, but I'm still sitting and thanking God for those who actually served.