You should have been there, standing in the chilly November breeze along Memorial Way, amidst soldiers, veterans, and their families and friends. Standing among heroes.

Instead of sleeping in or playing video games with my day off, I found myself running across The Ave from my apartment to see the Veterans Day parade and the unveiling of the Medal of Honor Memorial. I was late, but I arrived before the parade started.

I was nervous too, as I walked between and beside men and women who had made many sacrifices and been through much hardship. Some were somber. Many were smiling. I joined them in listening to the 56th Army Band from Fort Lewis, Wash., watching the parade and listening to the various speakers.

Everyone was wearing “Buddy Poppies” — little red plastic flowers made by veterans to show support for other veterans — with the proceeds going to help the families of veterans in need.

Plenty of big names were there. From current and former representatives to the current governor Chris Gregoire, they were all there to pay their respects. Gen. Peter Chiarelli, vice chief of staff of the U.S. Army, was a headline speaker, talking about the true heroes that the new memorial is dedicated to. There were numerous other dignitaries and public and private officials there as well. If you had been there you could have seen them all up close.

Instead of getting brunch you could have crowded into Kane Hall’s lobby and met Medal of Honor recipients, something you are not likely to experience any other time in your life. Each of them was handing out small information cards explaining why they were given the Medal of Honor, and they autographed them on the spot. All of them were courteous, and they posed for pictures and asked people about their lives and humbly accepted thanks. In turn, they thanked everyone there for coming to say hello to them.

You could have talk with them if you wanted. You could have learned about their experiences on the battlefield. You could have asked them how they repeatedly risked their lives for others, how they refused to give up even when their bodies were shattered by bullets and how they, more often than not, single-handedly broke the assaults of enemy forces. All I could manage to do was say “thank you” and shake their hands.

They weren’t the only ones with stories, of course. Plenty of men and women were there in line talking to each other about how miraculous it was that they survived sniper fire in the jungles of Southeast Asia. A lot of veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan were there, some of them preparing for redeployment.

It is truly hard to convey how much you missed if you weren’t at the ceremony. So many articles are written and so many things said about our heroes that perhaps it makes us callous or cheapens the words used to describe their exploits. But please take a moment out of your day to pause and remember what these selfless people went through and are going through for your well-being.

When you eat dinner tonight remember that you are able to do so because some soldiers endured extreme hunger and starvation. Remember when you lie down in your warm bed that the men and women who went under fire, tried to catch a few seconds of rest in the jungle, the desert and the snow.

Reach columnist Thomas Cloud at opinion@dailyuw.com.