Today is the 11th of November. It is Veteran’s Day.

Thank you to the people who have served so valiantly.

Thank you too to those who honor your service by making sure that your homecoming is what it should be. There should be good health care — including mental health care. There should be jobs and retraining for new jobs if you need it. There should be homes.

It is appalling that we would accept your service and then not welcome you home to something secure at home. You put yourself in harm’s way for your country and then your country does not put itself out for you.

May we do better. May we become aware. May we become strident in our demands on your behalf.

I think it is particularly incumbent upon those of us who have embraced different paths to Peace to take up this struggle — although it is incumbent upon all people of good conscience. Let us support the programs that support our Veterans. Let us lobby our congress for better health care and honest admissions of what our brave young men and women (and not so young men and women) encounter.

Let us also consider that everyone should serve their country in some capacity…

And let us work and work and work for Peace. Let us venture to find ways to speak to one another across the boundaries… not as leaders struggle but as neighbors and those most affected. Peace be with us all.