I have to admit that while growing up I took my freedom for granted. I did not pay tribute to those who fought in the wars before my time nearly enough. I was not all that interested in history and only learned what I needed to pass my tests in school without really thinking of all those individuals that fought for my freedom.
This morning I woke up and went for a run and as I ran the streets of Davenport I could not help but feel free. Because of so many courageous people and the sacrifices they made in World War I and II, Korea, Vietnam, Afghanistan, Iraq and others I am able to run the streets without having to worry about stepping on an IED, I get to choose the music playing on my Ipod, as a woman I am not forced to cover my skin and I can wave at a stranger without a second thought. I couldn't help but think that in other parts of the world people don't have these same free choices that I sometimes take for granted. I am grateful to live in a country where fellow citizens and even some of my own family and friends make the choice to be away from their families and friends, expose themselves to danger, endure days that are less than desirable and put their lives on the line so people like me can live a life full of freedom.
Lately I've been thinking a lot about true heroes. Many people, including myself, grow up idolizing athletes and calling them their heroes. School children list Aaron Rogers, Justin Verlander, Derrick Rose and LeBron James amongst their list of heroes. Mia Hamm and Andy Roddick were mine. Now don't get me wrong, I have nothing wrong with any of these athletes or with people idolizing athletes or naming them amongst their list of heroes. In fact, I think athletes and musicians are in a position to make this world a better place because of their status. I am inspired by those that use their status to help the less fortunate, better our world or simply to brighten someones day. I do question our society when so many people list professional athletes on their list of heroes and so few forget about our veterans and soldiers. Again, just to be clear I have nothing wrong with athletes. Especially those like Tim Tebow and Ndamukong Suh who are giving their time and money to charitable organizations. Yes, I said Ndamukong Suh, who according to Cork Gaine's Business Insider article published on December 28, 2011, the "NFL's dirtiest player" was also listed as the league's most charitable athlete giving $2.6 million that year. Many athletes and sports organizations do a great job giving back to our armed forces and other charitable causes. I am only questioning if our society in general does enough to support and thank our soldiers and their families.
Maybe my frustrations of the lack of love for our armed forces' heroes stems from my hometown. It seems that many households in my hometown get more hyped up for a state championship or when a local kid is recruited to play sports for a Division I school than when their local troops return home from a year long deployment overseas. I would have liked to see on that same State Central Bank a banner reading "Hometown of the Iowa National Guard-832nd Engineers" the day that so many of our hometown heroes returned from Afghanistan. To each their own; one great thing about living in a free country is that we all get to choose our own heroes!
Maybe it's because I've had friends recently serve overseas. Maybe it was the intensely patriotic guys I was surrounded by while in college at the University of Iowa. Maybe it's that just over a month ago my hometown community lost a courageous soldier that fought for our country in Iraq and Afghanistan. Maybe it's the story I've closely been following of Cedar Falls native, Taylor Morris, who lost both legs, his left arm from the bicep down and his right hand while injured in Afghanistan on May 3rd. He's only 23, the same age I am. Maybe it's the ever-inspiring book I just finished reading, "The Heart and the Fist" by humanitarian turned Navy SEAL, Eric Greitens. Maybe I'm just older and more mature and appreciate the more important things in life now. I don't think there's one reason that I'm more appreciative of the United States' armed forces and grateful for their service but I spend a lot more time these days thinking about all that our veterans and soldiers sacrifice for our freedom and I most definitely don't take my freedom or their courage and compassion for granted.
Thanks to all those that have ever served in the United States' armed forces. Thanks to them and their families and all that they sacrifice. I am forever grateful to those that put their own lives on the line and fight for our amazing country. You are all true heroes. Happy Armed Forces Day to all the true American heroes!
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