Remembering Our Heroes

Growing up I had a lot of heroes. As a Denver Broncos fan, I really liked John Elway. As a Texas Rangers fan, I really liked Nolan Ryan, Pudge Rodriguez, Juan Gonzalez,  and others. Sports always seems to give us heroes that we can look up too, but 9 times out of 10, at some point those heroes will disappoint us. Sports is a way that a majority of Americans and really people all over the world like to spend their time and invest their energy.

Today is a day where lots of people will grill out, drink some adult beverages and watch some sports, but that’s not really what this day is about. Today is a day to remember why we can all sit around on our back porches and drink a few cold ones and watch sports and spend time with friends and family, and of course that reason is that someone gave their life in the line of duty to protect our freedoms.

My father served in the Army, and so did my grandfather, and even though neither of them died in the line of duty, I think about them today as we celebrate. I have had friends who have lost family members to wars and I have lost friends as well, and today I just want to say thank you from the bottom of my heart to the family of soldiers that have died defending freedom. I cannot imagine what it is like to lose a son or daughter, a husband or wife, a mom or dad to the cause of freedom, and I will not pretend that I can. All I can say is that I remember on more than just today who the real American heroes are, and it is no athletes.

I am not downplaying sports, I love sports and don’t know what I would do without them, but what I am saying is that sports are not the most important thing in life. Today, we honor fallen heroes and their families. They deserve a lot more than a one day celebration, but having a day to honor the real heroes is a good start. So remember today what this day represents and what it means as you you overeat some delicious food and spend time with your friends and family enjoying Texas Rangers baseball, and if you have lost a loved one to the cause of freedom, God bless you and your family. Just know that we all remember them, most of us on many days of the year, not just today. Thank you.