Walking in sobering silence, I walked through the famous white memorial standing over what once was the USS Arizona, the final resting place of over a thousand people in World War II. As tears rolled down my face, I read the endless list of names on the wall and watched as eerily, oil bubbles still popped up from beneath the surface of the ship, and the ghostly outline shimmered under the still water.

It was my first trip to Hawaii and touring Pearl Harbor was on the top of my list of places to visit. Being a closet nerd, I am fascinated by history — not in a History channel watching kind of way, though. I enjoy watching movies and shows that dramatize time periods and events in history and then reading later facts about what really happened.

My good friend and neighbor fought in WWII, and I would spend afternoons with him, as he told me stories from that day. I never fully appreciated the gift I was given to be able to get an opportunity like that. John and his wife left a rich legacy in my life. I remember interviewing him in the fifth grade and writing a report on his experiences. When he died, I watched in awe at the military ceremony given to honor him.

Thank you to the amazing men and women that serve and protect our country. XOXO.

Have a fantastic weekend!