With the recent Veteran’s Day holiday, my Traverse carried me to downtown Morehead City, North Carolina to salute our veterans, present and past. It was rather windy (and a bit chilly), so needless to say all flags where flying quite high. Now my children had finally come down from their Halloween candy “high”, when the first piece of leftover trick-or-treat sweet (you know it is….) came flying at us with a loud “Happy Veteran’s Day!!!” following and I had to duck for cover or risk receiving serious facial damage. Of course, they dived for it as if it were the first piece of candy they’d ever been allowed to possess. A loud cymbal crash, then a loud bass drum boom came looming over the crowd. It was the 2nd Marine Air Wing Band from Marine Corp Air Station Cherry Point, in Havelock, North Carolina. The dress blues of the Marine Corp have always been, in my opinion, the most attractive of any branch of the military. I couldn’t help but yell out “Semper Fi!!!” as they marched passed. A feeling of pride welled up inside me as I thought of all our military has sacrificed for our country, and will continue to do so. My kids have freedom to play outside, go to school, and attend church. So I say a big Thank You to all who are veterans (my dad, uncles, and cousins included). As the parade continued, I couldn’t help but smile as I watched my kids’ pockets overflow with their “freedom of candy”…… Sarah Rye