&8220;In the beginning of a change, the patriot is a scarce man, and brave, and hated and scorned. When his cause succeeds, the timid join him, for then it costs nothing to be a patriot.&8221;

&8212; Mark Twain

Unfortunately, more times than not, we fail to thank those around us who deserve our deepest gratitude. Teachers, parents, co-workers, spouses, Sunday school leaders and many others could populate a list of those who make a dramatic but sometimes underappreciated difference in the lives of their fellow man.

Those who have fought and sometimes died for our freedom certainly are among the individuals to be included in such a list.

Veterans&8217; Day will be observed throughout our county and country over the coming days, and rightly so. Formerly Armistice Day, the name was changed to Veterans&8217; Day by an Act of Congress on May 24, 1954.

In October of that year, President Eisenhower called on all citizens to observe the day by &8220;remembering the sacrifices of all those who fought so gallantly, and through rededication to the task of promoting an enduring peace.&8221;

President Eisenhower referred to the change of name to Veterans&8217; Day in honor of the servicemen of all America&8217;s wars.

Many have observed throughout our history the difficulty of appreciating what our Veterans have done for us, what they have sacrificed and lost. The horrors of war can only be completely known by those who observed them first hand.

Those of us who have not been there are left with images captured by historians and a deep appreciation for what others have given to us and to our country.

Several Veterans&8217; Day events are scheduled in our county over the coming days. A comprehensive list can be found on the back of today&8217;s Lifestyles section.

We may be at a loss to fully grasp what our nation&8217;s Veterans have given us, but just perhaps, we can take a step closer to doing so by attending events such as these.

We can learn their stories. We can tell them what their sacrifices mean to our families. We can shake their hands. And we can thank them for a job well done.

This week, let us each give thanks to the Veterans who have sacrificed so much for our freedom and to their families who have also given unselfishly in equal measure