Every man and women who is or has served helps me be me. I don’t limit admiration or gratitude to American forces. Soldiers in Great Britain, France and Germany (or wherever) may not be home with families this holiday season, so they are on my long “be thankful for” list too.

I love the military because of WHAT it means to serve. Think of it. Men and women around the world are in strange places cupping a smoke, tucking chins into coats unsure of what may come in the next moment. No one does such a thing, makes such a sacrifice, for money. Love is the only power strong enough to create such devotion.

I love every man and woman in every military because they’ve freely given our most precious gift – time. Incredibly they give life’s most precious jewels to abstract ideas. They give their gifts at the altar of service to country, service to me, you, your family and friends. Hallelujah by Jeff Buckley just shuffled up appropriately on my iPod. Sometimes my iPod is spooky. Hallelujah is a beautiful song and the right word.

Hallelujah because, as Tim Sanders writes in his book Love Is the Killer App, people willing to sacrifice for a greater good means THERE IS A GREATER GOOD. Circular reasoning maybe but a good circle, a warm circle. Life’s biggest questions revolve around meaning. Why am I here? What is life’s meaning? Questions you could ponder for eternity OR recognize what one man’s or woman’s military service means. Sacrifice born by the few to serve many means good beats bad, honesty triumphs over dishonesty, love conquers hate and life’s biggest questions are moot solved simply by love and service, service and love.

If you read this post in a strange land far from family and friends busy helping me be me thanks. Please know every day we think of you. We will try to live up to the enormity of your sacrifice. Your example is large and in charge. We try to live up to you knowing we will fail. We will fall short. We are here while you are there. Your presence there (or in WWII, Vietnam, Korea, Gulf 1) simultaneously fills us with sadness and hope. Sad for the grim necessities keeping you away. Hope because your sacrifice means there is a greater good. You know about “greater good” and are wiling to teach us. Be safe. Come home. Accept our tears and poor attempts to grant impossible thanks. We offer our devotion and secret silent appreciation. We thank you for our liberty, life and love. This is why I love the military.

Hallelujah.

Martin Smith
Msmith(at)BetterSex(dot)com
Durham, North Carolina
December 12, 2009

P.S. Almost 400 service men and women have signed up for our Better Sex Military Corner:
Army (145), Air Force (105), Navy (68), Marines (30), Coast Guard (15), National Guard (9)
and we’ve said thanks with almost $2,000 in savings.

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On 12.24 I will email every Military Corner customer a personal note of thanks. I wish I could shake every military man’s hand and hug every woman. This note, our Better Sex Military Corner and a personal email seem poor substitutes for what we feel, but it will have to do. TY, M.