Our Life & Times

What does it mean to be a hero? Heroes come in many shapes and sizes. They can be a comic book character, a professional athlete, a big sister or big brother. I think a hero is a real person. Someone who is proud of who they are, someone who is a role model to others, someone who believes in God, someone who takes care of their family, someone who works a crappy job just to put their kids through college, someone who cries at sentimental movies, someone who takes pride in their work no matter how hard or menial it might seem. I think a hero is someone who is proud of the country they come from, even if they don't agree with the politicians running it. A hero is someone who settles their disputes without hurting others. Anyone can be a hero if they strive to do so. The men and women serving in our military are heroes. Not because they fell for their recruiters' tactics to make them sign on the dotted line, but because everyday and night they are on duty or even if they are sleeping in a tent or hotel room in a foreign land they know it might be their last. They are saying good-bye to their homes and loved ones and normal routines for weeks, months, and sometimes years. They are missing the birth of their children, graduations, weddings, and even funerals. They can't take the day off to attend their child's school play. They are heroes because they choose to make all these sacrifices for you and me. Yes, they might get a college education out of the deal, maybe free base housing while they serve, and a nice retirement, if they make it to that point. But that isn't why they serve. Something changes these young people's hearts when they complete basic training. They might have loved their country before they joined, but they love it even more when they realize they could die for it. Remember our heroes and their families this Memorial Day.