We are always told that actions speak louder than words, but sometimes I think words fill the spaces that actions can't. Growing up in a small Texas town, I was never fond of reading. Especially as a Hill Country kid, I was always outside despite the unbearable heat or blinding sun. It wasn’t until middle school that I really fell in love with reading. Reading prior had always felt like a chore and I could never get into it, but I'm ever grateful for the day when that all changed. It must've been fate or divine intervention because to this day I can't remember why I walked into my English teacher's classroom.
He had his feet on his desk reading a book with his giant Texas A&M flag behind him, but that flag wasn’t what had caught my eye. I
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I wanted to be a Navy Seal with every bone in my body, and I gave every muscle fiber towards that goal. I worked out twice a day for years, countless times throwing up from running in the infamous Texas heat and ice baths for the muscles I couldn’t move. Word spread about me working towards this goal and with this, I met a lot of great people in my life, including 2 active duty Navy Seals, 2 Green Berets and an Army Ranger. But despite this book changing my life completely, surrounding me with great people and giving me a rare mindset, there is always one person this book reminds me of.
It was just another day for me, but after leaving my workout my mom wanted me to meet a friend of hers. Walking into this bar I had no idea what was ahead of me, but it changed my life. I met John McCleary, an old Vietnam Veteran who loved American Sniper as much as I did. The two of us bonded instantly over the book, talking about our favorite points and John filling the bar with his laughter. John and I were so far apart on age and he was born in New Jersey, all we had in common was our love for this book and that was all we needed to talk for