What does service to our country mean? Some might say joining the Army, and others could say obeying the law. The word service means much more to me. It involves sacrifices, hardship, good deeds, voting and doing whatever you can do to make this country a better place.

Service to our country means that you are fulfilling your duty as a citizen of the United States of America. Your duty could involve many things. If you are old enough, this could mean voting. Isn't it important that the people who run and make decisions for this country that you live in are people who can do their job?

John F. Kennedy once stated, "Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country." This quote means that you have to take the initiative to make your country and community a better place. This could involve making sacrifices of the greatest kind, and of the smallest, but they both make a difference. The greatest would be going to war and perhaps giving your life to protect your family, community and to prevent innocent people from coming to harm in the US.

However, not everyone is capable of doing that. The one thing that many people could be able to do is sacrifice time and help out around the community. You could pick up trash, join a community service group, comfort those who are sick, or even just be friendly. A friendly smile can go a long way. If you smile at some people, then they might smile at some other people, then those people might smile, etc. My point is that one small thing can have a great impact on your community. For instance, if some people decide to take an hour out of their time to pick up garbage at a local park, some other people could be inspired to do the same, and soon you would have a clean park. Just by sacrificing one hour of their time, they have made our country a better place to live.

In conclusion, service to our country means making sacrifices both big and small to make our country a better place to live. What can you do?