Today is Veteran's Day. We should all remember and appreciate the sacrifices of our soldiers and military families today. It's amazing to think that in one country alone (France) there are in excess of 60,000 dead American soldiers, and as Colin Powell said so well, "the only land we ever asked for was a place to bury our soldiers."

25 years ago today was the day my mother Marcy passed away. I hope she is in a better place, and I will be forever thankful for having a mother who cared and loved so much. In her last years, she endured pain beyond what many of us could imagine.

66 years ago today was the day my father Peter was born. He lived a full life and cared about people and sacrificed much for his children. Despite the violence of Peter's death, he was a peaceful man and in many respects, died at peace. What different place the world was on November 11, 1939. What big things were coming.

It is a great privilege to be alive. In fact, in times of physical suffering, (especially like mile 23 on Sunday) I spur myself on by reminding myself of that fact, in profanity-laced silent tirades in my head. ("It is a #%&$%&* privilege to be here! Now keep going!!")