November 11th was determined to be our day to honor all American veterans for all time because World War I, “The Great War”, was officially considered to be over when a peace agreement, or temporary ending of fighting, between Germany and the Allied nations went into effect on November 11, 1918, “the war to end all wars.”
It is my hope and prayer that all of America’s living veterans will feel appreciated, honored, and loved on this special day. I encourage all of my fellow citizens to find a way to do something good for at least one veteran this weekend. You will feel all the better for it and you cannot imagine what it may do for your veteran brother or sister. To all veterans I say, Thank You!
Now, please allow me to depart from the purpose of this article for a few words about some other heroes. Here in California over the past couple of days, and ongoing, we have suffered multiple tragedies. In Thousand Oaks a mass shooting which took the lives of several young people, including a first responding police officer who willingly placed himself in harm’s way in an attempt to protect the remaining persons in the college establishment.
Also in the Thousand Oaks area and Malibu and surrounding communities, plus in the north the entire town of Paradise, California destroyed by wildfires. In the midst of all these natural and violent acts we have multiple heroes that will likely go unnamed for their heroic acts. These heroes are police agencies of every type, firefighter on the ground and in the air, and the common everyday neighbors who take a valiant stand to save life and home. To all these heroes, in California, and all across this nation we say, Thank You!