Thankful for Veterans!

A story about the USA and our veterans......

I was fortunate enough to be a part of the University of Delaware Wind Ensemble that performed in Luxembourg in 1990. We performed a concert at the Luxembourg Conservatory. Of course, we performed some of the greatest wind band literature there is.

What was crazy, was how the audience went crazy when we performed anything that was truly American. When we performed Stars and Stripes Forever, I thought I was performing at a rock concert. The place went nuts! 

Later that night, I was talking to the father of the host family with whom I was staying. I asked him why the audience went so crazy ever time we performed something American. He looked at me and smiled. Then he said, "Follow me."

We went to his basement. He set up a reel to reel movie projector and put on a reel. He didn't say anything, he just started the reel. It was footage of the liberation of Luxembourg by Americans. Now, I have seen a ton of WWII footage, since I am a history buff. But..... this footage, I have never, ever seen. I looked at the screen, I looked at the reel, I looked at the screen, I looked at the reel, then I looked at him. He smiled at me again, then said, "Home movies. These are my family home movies"

He then said, "Now do you understand why we love Americans so much? You gave us our country back. We will forever be grateful."

I have always been proud to be an American, but this experience brought me to a whole new level. We, as a nation, have done some really great things throughout history. Giving a nation their country back from invaders, that is something to be proud of. Thank you ALL veterans!