I worked most my entire life

[pintobean]

21. A good friend of mine died a few years ago.

He was pushing the century mark when he passed. On June 6, 1944 he hit Omaha Beach and fought his way across Europe. He watched many of his best friends ever die in that fight. He witnessed the worst atrocities man could inflict on their fellow man.

I once referred to my friend as a hero. He got pissed at me and told me to stfu. He told me that the real heroes are buried in Europe and across the Pacific, or their remains were sent back to their families. He said that that was true with every war that we fought. The real heroes gave everything. He got to come home and live a long life.

He told me this 60+ years after coming home, and he was crying when he spoke to me.

A lifetime of work, and service to others is honorable, but let's not cheapen the word hero.