Thankful for Life, Liberty and those who gave all
by Jim Oliveri

In 1964, I stepped foot on the soil of Vietnam as a young, inexperienced soldier visiting another country for the first time. In fact, I turned twenty-one several months after my arrival, and by then I had experienced enough of a strange, deadly conflict to believe that I would never see twenty-two.

Fortunately, I survived my year at war and returned home safely. Since then, I have been blessed with an additional fifty-two years to find a soulmate, make my place in life, and raise a family. Some of my friends received no such blessing. This Thanksgiving, as every year, I will think about them before enjoying the day.

We live in a dangerous world. There are many threats to our society, both foreign and domestic. If history teaches us nothing else, it is that the time may come again when we will need our young men and women to step forward in defense of our way of life. Thankfully, they have never failed us.

This Thanksgiving, before sitting down to dinner with your loved ones, please say a prayer for those remarkable heroes who wear our nation’s uniform and sacrifice much so that we can enjoy our holiday in freedom and harmony. I know I will.

Jim Oliveri
Please visit Jim’s blog at familyshadows.com

Jim Oliveri is the author of Christmas in Vietnam in Little CAB Press’s Christmas Story Collection Volume I.

Little CAB Press’s story collections are great reads and would make fabulous gifts this holiday season—unique & inexpensive for coworkers, family friends, etc. Every order comes with a free Christmas card signed by many of the Little CAB Press authors and books can be sent to gift recipients when you shop here-
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Also can be purchased on Amazon. Check out all our publications here- http://littlecabpress.com/current-publications/