75 years ago today 156,000 folks hit the beaches of Normandy to protect our freedoms and our way of life. Lots of ceremonies taking place all over the world to mark this anniversary, and rightly so. Sarah and I took 60 folks to the beaches of Normandy last year on a leadership tour. As I walked thru the American cemetery there, the movie Saving Private Ryan came to mind. Remember the scene where CPT Miller (played by Tom Hanks) is mortally wounded, and in his dying words he said to Private Ryan “Earn This”. Those words come to mind on this day.
There were 10,000 casualties on the beaches of Normandy 75 years ago, and 5000 of those folks never made it home. The question we should ask ourselves today “Are we earning this? Are we truly taking advantage of the freedoms those great folks provided us? Are we living lives that reflect the deepest appreciation for their service and sacrifices? Are we telling our children and grandchildren about what those brave men and women did for us? Do they understand that freedom isn’t free? I certainly hope so.
