I do not like war. I wish with all my heart it did not have to be. But I salute all the men and women who have sacrificed so much, many times their lives, to protect our freedom. I’ve always been grateful, but I feel a bigger tug at my heart this Memorial Day weekend because my “little” brother, Keith, almost forty years old, is overseas. He will turn forty in June- usually a milestone in many lives- and he will be in a foreign land.

You may recall in earlier posts this year where I shared that my brother, who we affectionately called Ke-Ke when he was a small boy, joined the National Guards at 38 years old. He quit smoking, and left his family behind to pursue his dream. Most go off to boot camp at the tender age of eighteen or nineteen so Keith had his work cut out for him. But he did it, and I was so proud of him.

Since then I’ve gotten to see a side of him that is strong, proud, passionate, and determined. The mind and heart are powerful things. He set his mind to accomplish his goal and followed his heart knowing the risks- knowing he would need to leave everything behind. That takes a tremendous amount of courage.

So on this Memorial Day weekend I salute you little bro— You are my hero!