Veteran’s Day has always been a holiday of mixed emotions for me. I’ve always been confused why Americans celebrate the hard sacrifices of our veterans by taking the day off but I hope everyone did take a moment to reflect on the meaning of the day.

As many know, I lost my best friend in Iraq. The loss of my friend Tim does weigh heavily on me at times but not when you might expect. I thought about Tim today, sure, but today’s reverence was to all our men and women who’re continuing Tim’s mission to keep us safe. Today, my emotional defenses were on high guard. It’s usually when I least expect it; a wrestling match with Ryan or a trip past Toll Gate, where I get caught with my guard down. All of that is good though. There’s a reason why our Ryan Timothy shares Tim’s name. Someday I’ll share with our little guy the story of a brotherly bond with a true hero.