I once contemplated joining the military back in high school.
It was very short-lived.
Although my father and each of his brothers served in the Army, it didn’t exactly move me. Neither did my father, for that matter—he wasn’t in my life. I think, at the time, my teenage reasoning was something along the lines of, “I want to grow my nails, so military life isn’t for me.” Very nonchalant. Very high school of me.
Back then, “service” was just a word I heard adults toss around. I had no real grasp of what it meant. But as I got older, life—being the patient and sometimes poetic teacher that it is—started connecting the dots for me.
Over the years, I found myself surrounded by people who had served. Friends, mentors, even colleagues who didn’t talk about it much—but when they did, their stories were layered with discipline, pride, and humility. There’s something about people who’ve served—they move through life differently. You notice it in their steadiness, their calm under pressure, their way of honoring time and purpose.
Now, many of the closest people in my life—my chosen family—have served in the military, including my co-hosts, Paul and Benef. We’ve had conversations about service that stretch far beyond uniforms or branches. They talk about leadership, cultural exposure, and what it means to carry both courage and compassion in the same breath. Their experiences have shifted how I view the world—and my own sense of gratitude.
It’s wild how maturity changes what you notice. You stop seeing “service” as a job and start seeing it as a heartbeat that keeps everything else moving. Freedom. Security. The luxury to travel, to create, to roam. All of it made possible by people who chose a different kind of adventure—one built on sacrifice.
So this November, as we honor Veterans Day and settle into Thanksgiving season, I’m sitting with deep gratitude. Gratitude for those who served, for those still serving, and for the ones who’ve carried their lessons into everyday life. You’ve shaped more of us than you realize.
And to that high school version of me—the one who just wanted to grow her nails—thank you for being honest. You didn’t choose the path of service, but you’ve spent a lifetime learning from those who did.
~By Trecia Cooke, Co-Host of Rhythm & Roam