What a scene. It takes me back to the playground days and playing hoops fighting the sun and the wind. Take THE most powerful aircraft the US Navy has to offer, an aircraft carrier, and put a basketball court on it. Then put stands around the court to hold 7,000. Host a broadcast of ESPN’s SportsCenter and have North Carolina and Michigan State square off for the first college basketball game of the year. All while in port in Coronado, California. I’m not even that big a college hoops fan any more.
While waiting for the game to start, the fans that are already there get to see Air Force One approach the San Diego runway, President on board on his way to the game – all to honor our military for Veteran’s Day. Now, get this, not one penny came from the tax payers to put this on. (The government could actually learn a lesson from this one!)
The Star Spangled Banner is sung and the F-16’s (I think) do the flyover that send chills up my spine and make the hair on the back of my neck stand up. I am not even anywhere near San Diego. I’m in snow covered northwestern Pennsylvania.
It just makes me proud to be an American. I salute the military and all they sacrifice. They sign up to serve and spend months away from their families to protect our freedom.
Now, the question is what do we do with that FREEDOM?
We all have the opportunity to do what we will with it. And it is just opportunity.
We have the freedom to fail. Then in failing figure out how to patch up the wounds and mistakes and learn from them. Henry Ford said, “Failure is simply the opportunity to begin again, this time more intelligently.”
We have the freedom to pursue our Financial Freedom. So much of life can be lived with money taken care of. How many views of basketball games on aircraft carriers can you see if you have no money or time concerns?
How much time could you spend on a warm sandy beach if you didn’t have to get back to work when the vacation was over?
How can you do these things? It is America! That is EXACTLY the question you have to ask yourself without limiting the answer.
How can you? Ask and the answer will be provided.
All The Best!
David Bridge Jr
