by

Leo Crocker Rogers

World War II just ended. It was announced on our home radio. Immediately, the station played the Star Spangled Banner. My dad who was sitting in his favorite chair, stood. I stood following him. He cried. I did not know why.

Today, I know why.

Today, I stand when the stars and stripes goes by. This is to say, that I do not sit. I get on my feet. My dad stood. So I stood.

There are times in life when the act of getting on one’s feet simply speaks a thousand words without a word spoken.

When we stand, we are taking a stand.

In our church group, we have attendees from Montana, California, Florida, Colorado, Oregon, Arizona, New Jersey, but we do not see each other. We attend by the use of a conference telephone line. There are three times during our church service when we sing. This is a time, even when we are separated by the full breath and height of our country, that we can express a sense of unity even though we do not see one another. I cannot see the others, but for sure, I stand when I sing. If my son sees me stand in such an instance, I hope he feels what I felt when my dad stood, commitment.

"United we stand." That three worder has been used by groups throughout the world. No matter how you say it, in what language, it always means the same thing. "I will not sit when I can stand for what I believe."

There is a western song whose lyrics include, "If you do not stand for something; you will fall for anything." Ironically, the easiest way to be disinterested, side-tracked, deluded, to fall, is to sit.

As this Veterans’ Day approaches, at some time during that day, let’s each, when we could sit, find a reason to stand for a minute in honor of our United States of America Veterans. When others see us stand and ask why, let us say that we are standing for our country and in respect for every woman and man who has served in our armed forces. And then, let us boldly, and with respect, invite those who have asked us, to stand with us.

United we stand. Our country needs this sense of unification.