Amidst a tumultuous ongoing election season, it is great timing to remember the people responsible for ensuring the security of our great nation - our veterans. Happy Veterans Day!

It’s been a year since we photographed the Honor Run Half Marathon (pictured in this post), and it was with sadness we saw this race - like so many others - fall victim to Covid. Every year this race served as a very real reminder that Veterans Day is not just something to pay lip service to on social media. Something as universally patriotic as celebrating our veterans can return us all to a moment of unity as Americans, something we need now more than ever. 

Without fail at the Honor Run every year, Abby finds herself at the finish line, snapping photos through sobs. The raw pain mixed with pride of those who lost loved ones in war, or who themselves served, is very real and very visible at this event. It’s incredibly powerful and beautiful to witness.

And like many of you reading this, we have veterans whose memory dominates our minds this time of year, and make the day and the run feel all the more significant.

Honor Run Half Marathon 2019
We also think of all the veterans –– some incredible women in particular –– we’ve had the privilege to know and stories we’ve been honored to tell. We think of real-life superwoman Dr. Krysta Manning, who used her dental expertise to serve with the Air Force, even after giving birth to triplets, before ultimately finding a path to her MBA and simplifying her own dental practice. We think of Alvina Maynard, whose long service in the Air Force eventually paved the way to her current business as an alpaca farmer while still serving in the Air Force. 

We probably all have a veteran in our life that we know and love. And maybe this year is the perfect opportunity to honor them exceptionally well above the drama of a divided nation, and recognize the shared values we can celebrate as Americans. Write a card. Look through old photos. Make a phone call. Use your Honor Run half-marathon photo to share your appreciation and patriotism with your followers, or even make a donation. 

Regardless of the events of this year or the outcome of a wild election, we all have an opportunity to bring a bit of unity to our corner of the country we love. And remember that it was fought for, many times with the ultimate sacrifice.