Price of Freedom

One Sunday a couple years ago during fast and testimony meeting, my young women president's husband got up to speak. It must have been around the Fourth of July or maybe Veteran's Day. I have always remembered what he said about his brother in law, who had recently returned from a military service tour somewhere.

Cody (the man sharing his testimony) had taken his brother in law to a sports game- maybe American football?- shortly after he returned home. Sometime before or after the game, the officials set off some celebratory fireworks.

"I am such a bad brother in law," Cody said with tears in his eyes when he got to the part of his story with the fireworks. "As soon as the first rocket went up, my poor brother in law who had just returned home from the war ducked his head and tried to climb under his seat. The sight of my big brother in law trying to find shelter under those little seats would be enough to make anybody cry. I realized immediately what had happened, and I crouched down beside him and put my arm around him and talked to him, reminding him he didn't have to be afraid, he was home now, he was in America. And I apologized to him for not thinking."

Then Cody finished his testimony about the price our nation has paid for the freedoms we enjoy and maybe take for granted. "Don't take them for granted. Remember the price of freedom isn't free."

U.S. Department of Defense photo