Gratitude
There are many service people in my family, all of whom I love dearly and I am grateful for. These individuals sacrificed their time, safety, and, sometimes, other ambitions in order to serve our country. I know the purpose of this weekend is to honor those service members who never were able to return to their lives and families, who made the ultimate sacrifice. I, however, found myself thinking of one particular serviceman as I was out for a run this holiday weekend, my uncle Paul, and I wanted to take some time to share just how much he means to me. Just the other day, I was asked why I teach, and I said that I love stories. Literature is perhaps the most readily accessible way to learn about ourselves and to explore the world. As I thought more about it, I realized that my uncle, a true storyteller, likely had a hand in creating that spark in me. When my brother and I were very young, my uncle lived with us. Stories from him and about our time together (an unconventio...