As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them.

- John Fitzgerald Kennedy

Veterans Day came and went last week with little fanfare, probably just as many of the men and women who served our great nation would prefer.

But that humility and self-sacrifice illustrates exactly why this holiday should be among the most important our nation observes.

Without our veterans and those currently serving in the military, the great ideal to which we all cling - freedom - would simply be another word.

Each and every American must keep veterans in their hearts and their minds, not just on Nov. 11, but throughout each day of our lives.

Ask someone which holiday is most important to them and you will likely hear a list of answers: Christmas, Easter, the Fourth of July, Halloween.

Most of the time Veterans Day never even makes the final cut. That is sad and something that each of us have an obligation to correct to honor those who have fallen and those who continue to make sacrifices.

Our youth must be taught the importance of freedom, the importance of standing up for your principles and the importance of the willingness to fight for what you believe in.

Even today, thousands of American citizens have given up their homes, their families, their lives to journey to foreign lands to fight for all the things they - and each of us - hold dear.

This level of human sacrifice deserves to be honored each day, not just one fall day that some see as nothing more than an excuse to stay home from work.

Maybe, one day, each and every American will quickly answer the question of &#8220What is you favorite holiday?” with the correct answer: Veterans Day.

It may not have the fanfare as the others but without it - and the soldiers it honors - none of the others would be possible.