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Yesterday, I took my family to Arlington National Cemetery to visit my friends, Garrett Slaughter and Captain John Ryan Dennison Memorial. They are buried in Section 60, also known as "The Saddest Acre in America," because many who are buried there died young after 9/11. One mother had a lawn chair, with flowers on either side, pulled right up to the headstone of her son, a Marine. It looked like she had been sitting there all day. A family of four with two teenage daughters wept over another grave nearby. For my part, I felt an overwhelming wave of sorrow as I approached Garrett's grave with my daughters and my son. We put flowers on his grave. I told my children a few funny stories about our time together at Vanderbilt, Ranger School, and then in the Army. And then, we walked to Ryan's grave and spent some time with him. Ryan was a bright light full of positivity and passion wherever he went. I miss my friends... Shortly before D-Day, 2nd Lieutenant Jack Lundberg wrote a letter to his family that began, "Now that I am actually here, I see my chances of returning to you all are quite slim, therefore I want to write this letter now while I am yet able." He went on to write, "We of the United States have something to fight for — never more fully have I realized that. There just is no other country with comparable wealth, advancement, or standard of living. The U.S.A. is worth a sacrifice!" He was killed a few weeks later. But, his spirit -- the resolute determination to protect a nation based on freedom no matter the cost. That remains. It's why I'm so proud of Garrett and Ryan even while I am devastated I'll never watch them play with my kids.
