Today Butler’s Main Street will be filled with patriotism and the men and women who put themselves at risk to protect our freedoms, as the city celebrates America’s 96th Veterans Day with its annual parade.

If you haven’t attended in the past, we highly recommend it. There will be patriotic music, sidewalks packed with people, and veterans by the score. Today’s parade is a great way to meet some of the men and women who have served or are serving in our country’s armed forces.

And yes, meeting our veterans and talking with them is an important and powerful experience. One of the best ways to honor them is to listen to their stories and develop a deeper understanding of their experiences and the sacrifices they made for this country.

Perhaps that seems intimidating to some people. But striking up a meaningful conversation with a veteran or two is easier than you think.

When and where did they serve? Why did they decide to enlist? What are some of their strongest memories from their time in the military?

These are just conversation-starters, but they could help propel you into a real connection with some of the men and woman who put their lives on the line for our country.

Thier stories can awe us, sadden us, thrill us, and remind us that the world we live in did not just magically appear. It was carved out and then defended by men and women whose strength of spirit and commitment to uniquely American ideals — egalitarianism, freedom, self-sufficiency, sacrifice, compassion and peaceful prosperity — motivated them to risk everything.

These men and women face grave challenges not just on the battlefield, but at home as well: suicide, homelessness and access to medical care, just to name a few.

Amid these challenges it’s not wrong to say that simply talking isn’t good enough. Indeed, citizens must go the extra mile and advocate for policies and officials that care for our veterans properly and ensure that our country uses military force responsibly.

But it’s talking with our veterans that can give citizens context and strength of purpose, and turn them into effective advocates for veterans’ issues. Only by knowing those who have served us can we help serve them in return.

And whether or not you know their names, every veteran marching in today’s parade has been your strongest advocate.

Now it’s time for you to return the favor.