America, the Beautiful!

So today was BYU's commencement ceremonies, which, by the way, Nate should have walked in, but he chose not to. I was a little disappointed but I'll live. Anyhow, the special guest speaker was Vice President Dick Cheney! I really have quite liked the man over these last 7 years in office. He is very grounded and doesn't let things bother him, even when the storms are swirling around everywhere. In his speech he shared the things that might help these graduates that might help them face the world better and more fully. One was that there will be people who will look after them, who will help them excel and see the potential in them that they themselves will not see. Those will be their best assets and friends. Listen to them. The other thing I heard him make mention of there will be times in their lives which will not go the way they expected or planned for, the tough times! Learn from those times and keep moving forward. I am so impressed with this man. Even when there are things in our administration that is not the best decision, they still bring honor and integrity to the offices themselves. That alone deserves my respect.
I am actually appalled at all those who protest and do alternate commencements, I think it is quite immature myself. But we do live in a free country that promotes thinking and disagreement so that there will be balance. For that I am eternally grateful. However, it would behoove us all to just respect, even in disagreement of policy or whatever, the reality is Vice President Cheney has given his life for public service, and has tried to give us a value-based agenda, has any one of us done that for our country? I love America! And I love what good men try to accomplish good things in our country!