Today is a day to celebrate the men and women who have served in uniform to get and protect our freedoms. We should celebrate them all the time, but today is a special day each year to express our thanks.

My father was a veteran.

After he and my mother moved into the retirement center, this picture of him would be displayed (along with other pictures of retirement center veterans) in the lobby of the retirement center every Veterans Day.

My father died in June, 2012.

My mother went to the Veterans Day celebration that the retirement center had on Friday. At the celebration, a gentleman sang songs about country and patriotism. He then sang some songs he said his grandmother especially liked.

One of the songs he sang was “You Are My Sunshine.” This is a song that Dad used to play for my mom on his harmonica.

She cried when the man sang it. He apologized for singing the song and making her cry. But she told him she was glad he played it because it brought back good memories.

Thank you, Dad, for serving in the uniform to protect our freedoms. I miss you.

Thank you to all veterans. You are truly Real Super Heroes!