All opinions are always 100% honest and my own. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. I also participate in: CJ Affiliate; eBay Partner Network; Rakuten Affiliate Network; ShareASale; Walmart Affiliate Program; independent affiliate networks.
Last Thursday, I attended a BYU football game. My love for cougar football aside, the most memorable part was half time.
Onto the field marched four World War II veterans in uniform. As the Cougar Marching Band played their division's song, each stepped forward and saluted the crowd.
It's not often I battle running mascara at football games. Usually the only side effect is losing my voice.
Words cannot describe how indebted I feel to these men and women, to their families and loved ones. They are heroes.
Thank you, thank you, thank you.
Alison Moore Smith is a 61-year-old entrepreneur who graduated from BYU in 1987. She has been (very happily) married to Samuel M. Smith for 40 years. They are parents of six incredible children and grandparents to two astounding grandsons. She is the author of The 7 Success Habits of Homeschoolers.
Beautiful, Alison. Thanks for this!
Alison, you have a lovely heart. To me, it’s the best part of the 4th of July parade every year, when the veterans march by. A rowdy crowd gets suddenly quiet, and then there is almost reverent applause. Gets me every time. Greater love hath no man than this. . . .
Thats so nice to hear about Alison. As a veterans wife I was moved on Suday morning during “Music & The Spoken Word” when they played a short section of each military branches song or hymn and a military representative in uniform marched out with the braches flag and stood at attention. I sang along with each song and nearly lost if during the Marine Corps hymn, my husband is still a reservist and REALLY wants to re-enlist, but he is injured during service and needs to lose some weight. Anything military oriented touches me very deeply. I’m glad BYU did their part to recognize the vets.
I wish the people who lived around me would appreciate the Vets more. Patriotisim is almost a dirty word here in Northern New Mexico.
Thanks for posting this.
Watching a story on the news about the Honor Flight Network had me sobbing on the treadmill at the gym Monday morning. The organization flies war veterans to Washington, DC, to visit their memorials. You can visit their website here. I don’t even remember which morning show it was on, but they showed a group of vets arriving at Reagan National Airport, and the entire airport came to a halt and gave them a standing ovation. It was beautiful, and I was a mess!
Thanks for posting this Alison. I’m glad to know that BYU did this at the game.
We have a quite a list of vets on both my husband’s side of the family, and on my own and I wish more people had a deeper appreciation the willingness of those who serve in the military.
Thank you for the kind comments.