We took the above photo last year on Memorial Day as we sailed away from Panama City, Florida. It couldn’t have been a more beautiful morning and as I watched our American flag flap gently in the wind, I was overwhelmed by the sense of freedom that overcame me. We had just cast off our lines and we could sail wherever our hearts desired. The irony that we left on Memorial Day wasn’t lost on us because freedom like that comes at a high price, paid for by people we’ve never even met… by heroes.
Chris and I both come from a family of heroes. His father served in the US Marine Corp and my dad served in the US Army. Grandfathers and uncles served, and this year I’m feeling extra sentimental, proud and more grateful than ever because my brother just left 2 weeks ago on his first deployment via the US Navy. Chris also had the opportunity to meet and interview several war heroes for the video spots he worked on during his former career, and their stories of bravery are amazing.So today, somewhere in between flipping that burger and icing up that beer, let’s stop to remember the real reason we have the day off to spend with friends and family, and take a moment to say thank you to the brave men and women who sacrifice so much so that we can live the lives that we do.
To those of you reading this who have served in our military, our gratitude knows no bounds.
As a Viet Nam vet I knew nothing but anger and being spit on when I finally arrived back home. It is a soul-healing feeling to see Americans now recognizing that the men and women who serve and have served were doing their duty for their country. Thank you for this great post