Yesterday was Independence Day, the Fourth of July. A day when we all gathered with friends and family to grill good food and watch beautiful fireworks.

But, the 4th of July is about so much more than that. It is a day to celebrate our freedom. It is a day to remember that we are proud to be Americans, and live in a land where we are free to choose how we live.

We have men and women that fight every day to protect those freedoms, the men and women of our United States military. These men and women are willing to die to protect our freedom.

I saw a movie recently that had a profund effect on me. That movie was “Act of Valor.”

See, I am ex-military. I did not serve until retirement. But, I will say this, if I could have stayed and completed my 20+ years and retired I would have.

This movie made me proud to call myself an American, and a previous service member. These men and many like them lay their lives on the line every day for what we call freedom.

The men in the movie were part of the military called the Navy Seals. A very tight, close-knit, secretive part of the military. Sometimes will never know a man is a SEAL until after they have retired. Certain divisions of the SEALS keep their identities secret to keep them and their families safe.

They do not speak of their missions as they are highly classified and dangerous. As was shown in the movie, they depend on each other to stay alive. They are often sent to some of the most dangerous parts of the world, to weed out some of the most heinous criminals in the world, those that a pose threat to the world, and its freedoms.

These men belief that our protection, and freedom is the ultimate sacrifice. They do what they do, so that we can continue to be safe, and enjoy the freedoms we all enjoy every day.

The movie shows the men on various missions, and reveals their strengths and weaknesses.  It also shows the sacrifices they all pay, in their quest for protection, and freedom. We get so wrapped up in the action, and then the writers never let us forget, that these are just, men. Plain and simple.

Yes, they are heroes but they are men with families. Men that live and breathe as you and I. Men that die as you and I.

If you have not seen this movie, please do. Then, the next time you see a service member in uniform, or if you know someone who is in service, thank them for all the sacrifices they make.

We are at war now, and have been for a very long time. There are many soldiers who never came home to their families as in this film. They shared the same heartbreak, and the same broken dreams. We need to make sure every day, that we remember them, and keep them in our prayers for their sacrifices.

This film will make you proud to be an American, proud to say we have the best fighting force in all the world, and proud to say we have men protecting our freedoms every day.

I hope you all had a wonderful Independence Day!

God Bless America

thegeekwife