This summer I was blessed enough to get to work in one of the most breath-taking places I have ever seen. I was in northeast Wyoming, working on a cattle ranch. Not only was I doing a job that I really enjoyed, but I also got the chance to go to some fun activities. One of the highlights had to have been the Wyo Rodeo. Sheridan, Wyoming was alive with a cowboy enthusiasm that night. The streets were full, and everyone was feeling great. During the rodeo, an army veteran skydived into the rodeo arena. This alone is cool, but he lost both his legs in a mid-air collision when he was serving our country. As he descended, he brought a giant American flag with him. Lee Greenwood’s “Proud to be an American” was playing, and the crowd stood to honor this incredible man as he showed his love for his country. Being in the cowboy state at a rodeo with some of the most incredible people I have ever met made me realize again, just how much I love our country.

I love America mostly because I am allowed to travel alone or come to a whole new state to live and go to school. I am blessed to have the freedoms that are listed and protected by the constitution. Because I am an American, and thus, free, I can travel, get an education, and have a say-so in what goes on in Washington. I love life, and I am proud to be an American.

I am proud to be an American, I profess this loud and proud. This country is the land of opportunity, I am humbled and honored by those who have paid the ultimate sacrifice for me to be able to have life, liberty and to pursue happiness. This skydiving man who despite having undergone some serious injuries, continues to show his love for our country by falling from the sky with the flag of the country he fought for, is a symbol of how incredibly resilient our country is and how much our freedom is worth. I urge you to reflect and find a reason each week why you’re proud to be an American.