By Boot Recruit Myra
Right now you’re probably wrapping presents, maybe attending the quintessential party of
the season, decorating the church, baking sweets for your holiday celebrations, or still at the mall using your plastic to get a few more needed gifts to tie you over. Oh those last minute gifts will getcha every time! The hustle and bustle of the season continues, whether you celebrate the “Holidays”, “Christmas”,”Santa Clause”, “Hanukkah”, “Kwanzaa”, or some other event in December where gifts and decorations, food and spirits are required. We live in a glorious place where we have the freedom to call the holiday whatever we want, include religion or not, participate in whatever strikes our fancy, or not. It’s so awesome! And Cool! We get to celebrate whatever we want! It’s a gift, free for every American, and all our guests from other lands.
Stop whatever you’re doing for a minute and ponder what the families of Lance Cpl. Michael E. Geary, 20, USMC; Spec. Kelly J Mixon, 23, Army; Sergeant James A. Ayube II, 25, Army, will think about in this season of giving. For you see, all of us today have our freedom to call this season whatever we choose because they are the most recent fallen heroes. 
These three men, and nine others just finished celebrating Thanksgiving, half a world away, only to turn around and lose their lives in the process of defending ours from insurgents in Afghanistan. As of this post news of another 6 lives lost constitutes a life a day in the month of December so far. All this was done in protection of our freedom, truly a priceless gift for which we can’t repay.
Call the holiday what you want, but be thankful for the right to call it what you want. In the midst of celebrating, remember to express thanks and appreciation for those who defend your freedom to celebrate any occasion that strikes your fancy.
