Dear Veteran,

I was 1 year old when I waved goodbye to my dad leaving for the Yugoslavian Army, standing on the balcony everyday, every season, every holiday wishing he was there. My mom and dad went 2 years without seeing each other, I went 2 years without seeing my father. I got use to my mother feeding me, changing me, and helping me grow-up. I missed my fathers warmth every single day.

When people asked me what I  wanted to be when I grew up I would say “Hero!”, they asked me to draw what a hero looked like in my eyes, and I drew out my father. Not because he was strong, and was capable of a lot of things. It was because he spent so much time away from my family and I fighting for a country that was not even it’s own country on a map until a couple of years ago, Kosovo. He fought for his life, our life and for a Country that almost didn’t survive. You too have done this every single day, you fight for our lives and our country day by day.

When my parents reunited, and I got to see my father after 2 years, wow did the butterflies fly inside my stomach as a little kid with short curly hair, big brown eyes, with a huge smile on my face running towards my dad yelling his name.

Home, he was home.

I truly hope that you felt the same kind of love when you came home, but If by chance you didn't I want you to know how much I appreciate you and the time that you spent away from the people that you love. I can understand how hard it must’ve been for you and your family and friends to be away from you for so long I felt like a hopeless street dog with no home when my father was not around as well. The time that you spent fighting for our country to make us feel safe.

My father is my hero, and so are you.

My father left everything behind when he was fighting for our small country. Being 18 and getting nominated to leave everything behind is hard, harder than most people will ever understand.

With that being said, I thank you. Not only for your service but for your brave heart, and always making the most out of everything. I have came across to a lot of veterans, and I can say with my heart wide open that you all have such pure hearts.

Someone like you so caring, so trustworth, and so brave deserves everything that this world has to offer. I have heard people telling police officers to stay safe, I never understand why they would say that but once I got older I did. The same words go to you my fellow veteran. I hope that you are always safe, I hope that you know the difference that you are making every day, I hope you realize how thankful I am for you and all the time you’ve taken to keep our country and our lives safe and secure.