Free: A Thank You to Veterans (New Song!)
Every year, my high school choir is asked to sing at the school’s annual Veterans’ Day ceremony. The class listens through song after song trying to find a good fit. Let me just tell you, it’s HARD trying to find a new, good veterans day song. We listened to dozens trying to find a good fit for our choir, but they were either too stiff, too country, or a love song.
Now, my classmates know me as the “Music Girl”and one girl said, “Natalie, you should write us a Veterans’ song!”
Her words made me pause. I bit my lip. “Well…I guess I could. Why not?”
My mind spun with possibilities and I went home and wrote most of this song that same evening. A few songwriting sessions later, and the lyrics were ironed out. Since then, my choir and I have been working it up, and it’s been such a special experience. Hearing a classroom full of students singing a song I poured my heart into is so cool!
We will sing it in front of the whole school, but —even more importantly—we will sing it for all the veterans present.
Thanking Veterans
I’ve always been so thankful to Veterans, but it’s amazing how much deeper that appreciation can go after writing a whole song about it. We often thank veterans for protecting our freedoms, but it wasn’t until I wrote this song that the truth really sank in: Every right we have as Americans is protected by those who guarded it with their time, sacrifices, and—in some cases—their lives.
I can’t really say it any better than I already did in my song, but I’ll try one more time:
Thank you SO much, veterans for your service. Thank you for helping create a world where I can dream big and sing about Jesus without fear of anyone telling me I can’t. Thank you for doing your part to keep the next generation FREE.