Somebody's Veteran

This year I had the privilege to help pull together a Veterans Day celebration for our elementary school. We had stations all over the gym ran by some of our student leaders for the other kids to enjoy. Everything form thank you cards to trivia to craft projects were present, but also present were some very kind soldiers from a nearby Fort. They had driven down to spend their day with us, with our kids ... and it was awesome. ALL of the students enjoyed seeing the soldiers, visiting with, and interacting with the soldiers. However, the Junior Beta students who spent the entire day in the gym got a few extra minutes in between the groups of visitors.

I very much enjoyed watching the soldiers visit with our kids. One taught them about the fallen soldier memorial we had set up in the gym. One quizzed them on the American flag facts at the flag trivia station. Several colored thank you cards for veterans while they visited with our kids. 

And, when I took the kids outside for a 10 min recess (because being big kid helpers all day is just flat out exhausting), every single soldier came outside to play with the kids. 

As much as I enjoyed watching the kids interact with the soldiers inside the gym, *oh my heart * when those kids excitedly begged the soldiers to play basketball with them. Everyone laughed and smiled and enjoyed that 10 minute pick up game.

I know for a fact that when the kids went home and were sharing about their day "the soldiers played basketball with us" was one of the first things mentioned ... because I'd had a front row seat to the whole thing and the kids still made sure to tell me at least 10 times. ;)

A simple game of basketball shouldn't be that big of a deal - but the kids were so amazed that it had happened. 

I think sometimes we throw the world "soldier" around in such a way that makes it seem like a separate species to kids. Actually, I wouldn't argue - I'd say soldier does require a special species of people. But what my kids got to see this Veterans Day is that soldiers are just people. People who even play basketball.

Later this year when I teach them about the American Revolution, I will spend a lot of breath remind them that all of the soldiers who fought - on both sides - were just people. People who would have played basketball with them. Each year as they learn about different wars, as they grow and understand more about these wars in our history and the current issues of our world, I hope they can remember these soldiers who were just so kind to them, so *real* to them. These soldiers who were real people.

When we came in from that short recess and a few of my students were headed back to class, one of the sweet kiddos said "Ya know, Mrs. Moreland, I liked talking to those soldiers today. I never really thought about how they are all just regular somebodies. And they were good at ball too!"

All just regular somebodies.

Somebody's daughter, somebody's son. Somebody's brother or sister. Somebody's dad. Somebody's mom. Somebody's precious grand-somebody. Somebody's friend.

Somebodies who signed up for a job that requires them to give so much of themselves every day and live ready to give all of themselves. Somebodies whose career takes them away from family, away from their comfort zones (and even all traces of comfort at times). Somebodies who are willing to do that for the rest of us somebodies who are here at home. 

Somebodies who are real heroes on the daily.

But, yes, just regular somebodies.

And I sure hope that as these kids grow, as they learn more and understand more, as they get to vote on things that impact our country and our soldiers, they always remember these awesome soldier "somebodies' who in that moment they realized were just regular people, just making the choice to be awesome every day.

Thank you to all the somebodies who took on the soldier's pledge. Who served, or are serving, our country. Thank you to all of the somebody's somebodies who are heroes on the daily for the rest of us.