Home of the Free Because of the Brave

With last Friday being the 19th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, I always look back on that day as to what I was doing, what I was feeling and how life has changed since then and even more so this year.

This year, my 8 year old 3rd grader came home earlier in the week and he had a short assignment to interview 2 people that were alive during 9/11 and ask them some simple questions. We actually worked on this assignment over dinner at our local Outback and naturally his mother and I gave him the answers to his simple questions. As I listened to my wife's answers, there was this simple question and it deserved such a large answer that how would a 3rd grader understand much less convey to his teacher.

The simple question was what do you want me to know and take away from what happened on 9/11. I struggled to simplify the answer several times, but this is what it boiled down to for my answer.

1. Always be proud to be an American and stand up for the American way of life.

2. Not everyone in the world thinks the same and those that want to destroy or hurt our country and way of life can not be left to succeed whether foreign or domestic.

3. In times of need, no matter how big or small, be the hero the situation calls for because everyone needs a hero. Whether its helping a friend or stranger, whether is running into a scary situation to help those that need it, be that hero.

I am so proud to be an American, and to have been raised by parents and family that value what's right and support the military. It is my duty as a son of an Army solider and a red blooded American to pass those beliefs down to our son.

Every chance we get, we strive to honor those veterans and heroes with a token of appreciation, a handshake and/or hug to let them know their sacrifice is appreciated. You'll see below pictures of flags that we love to do and present to local vets and heroes in their own way at events we attend.

Make sure you tell your heroes how much you appreciate them.