The Price of Freedom

This Memorial Day found me inside the bustling concourses of Hartsfield-Jackson, where I bought a cup of lukewarm coffee. I had waited in line for awhile, and gotten a little miffed about how long it was taking. I was about to complain to the clerk, when I looked down at my receipt.

She had mistaken me for a soldier (based on my haircut and what I was wearing) and gave me a military discount. 29 cents. I recognized how silly the whole situation was - me complaining about cold coffee on a day dedicated to fallen servicemembers, while getting a tiny discount that I didn't even deserve. I turned around and boarded my plane.

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One of the things everyone should do, at least once, is visit a veteran's cemetery. Not necessarily a fancy one, like Arlington or Colleville-sur-Mer, but an ordinary VA National Cemetery. Find a random grave, search for information on the deceased, and reflect on the price of freedom.