It is without a doubt that I will not remember many things in life. There are too many things going on in this fast paced world we live in. There are car notes, mortgages, bills, jobs, people and bosses to make happy, to name just a few. And everyday I awake, I know that each moment will lead on to the next, good or bad, and that at days end my "Inbox" will still have things that must wait for the next day. There are simply too many new things coming in to be able to remember them or even some of the old things.
But with all of that said, I would like to caution you all not to forget what really matters in life. People. True, they come and go and in many lines of work the people we meet are like boomerangs that catch-up to us again on our journey. But the most important thing is to remember people: our Loved ones, our friends, our confidants.
One such person that touched my life in a positive and unforgettable way was a young man that was wise beyond his years and always sought a quiet perfection in all that he did. No matter what the task, he attacked it with such an intense focus, I was always in awe; yet, all the while he would remember others and help them with their tasks as well.
He was someone you could talk to at whatever the hour and he would listen and if you asked, give his humble opinion. He never made you feel insignificant, but you knew he was one of those people that you meet once in a lifetime and feel so privileged to have know. I was graced with his presence as a room mate and teammate on the Color Guard at the United States Military Academy. I will never forget the way he would put his "Cali-Hat" on, his headphones in and ceaselessly chip away at problem sets after an afternoon of drill practice.
When we first arrived at the Color Guard, he was selected to be the National Flag bearer, an extreme honor. He humbly accepted the position and I became his rifle guard. Shoulder to shoulder we stood. Even though we were peers, I looked up to him. You couldn't help but to be inspired by him. Day after day our team honed our skills to be the best, because he would settle for nothing less.
I will never forget the end of the semester when I asked if he was coming back to run the Color Guard to see if I would stay on and continue our jobs together. He respectfully declined because he had something else planned. I was a bit disappointed, but when I asked him what, he said he wanted to go command our Regiment. All I could do was smile, because I knew he had decided that was the best way he could serve the Academy. I knew he'd be perfect for the job, so I couldn't argue. I stayed on as the Color Guard Executive Officer and he went on to be selected for the Regimental Command job, like I knew he would.
Even writing this brings a smile to my face because he is still someone I look up to and obviously the person I am talking about is Daniel Brian Hyde. He is someone I will never forget. I will always remember him, his smile, his leadership example, and his dedication to service in all facets of life. I will always remember no matter how busy I get to stop and thank him, never surrending those memories to the hustle and bustle of life, never forgetting to venerate The Hero that he will forever be.
All I ask for now is that we as a Nation, his friends, his family, remember with joy the truly Awesome person that graced our presence. Thank you Dan for all you gave and I know you still have my back. God Bless and Keep you.
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