Still Serving
Some served beneath a distant sky,
Some sailed the sea so blue;
Some wore the nation's uniform,
Some raised a family, too.
Some healed the sick with gentle hands,
Some taught the young to dream;
Some quietly gave all they had,
Each part of Freedom's team.
We gathered here with silver hair,
Our marching days seem through,
Yet every sunrise asks again:
"What can I count on you?"
The answer need not shake the world,
Or make the headlines sing.
A smile can lift a lonely heart,
Kindness is no small thing.
Hold open doors. Be quick to laugh.
Forgive before you judge.
Trade patience for impatience,
And never hold a grudge.
Be humble when you're proven right.
Show empathy each day.
The strongest people often choose
The gentlest, kindest way.
Our nation is still blessed indeed
With freedoms few have known;
From mountain peaks to amber waves,
This land has long been home.
We're envied for our liberty,
Our welcome is warm and true,
And yes, our ranch dressing, it seems,
Has fans the whole world through!
But freedom isn't something kept
Inside a glass display.
It lives because good people choose
To guard it every day.
So when Election Day arrives,
Don't simply stay and stare.
A ballot is a quiet salute,
A way to show you care.
Our service isn't finished yet;
There's still good we can do.
Ask not what others owe to us,
Ask what we owe them, too.
Though years have slowed our marching feet,
Our hearts are standing tall.
For those who served, and those who serve,
There's room enough for all.
So here's to friends, to veterans,
To neighbors tried and true.
America grows stronger still
When I serve me and you serve you?
No, that's not quite the better way.
America grows stronger still
When I serve you,
And you serve, too.
WJS
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