God Bless America!!

Well, tonight I did something I had heard about since I moved here. It was something I just "had to go see", as what most had told me. Well, I gave in and went.
At the Washington DC Marine Corps Barracks on Friday nights there is the Marine Corps parade. I honestly thought it was going to be an actual parade...in the streets...not so much.
I go with two girls that Matt used to work with at his previous position, whom I become good friends with. Anyway, the 3 of us get to the barracks and are literally escorted by a Marine to our entrance gate. One of the girls in my group gets hit on and stalked by this little guy who just wanted a date, but she has other plans in life, bless his little heart.
We were escorted to our seats and sit down in bleacher seats inside what is literally barracks. The scene is really indescribable, but I'm going to do my best. It's about as long as a football field and as wide as a tennis court from wall to wall. On one end of this massive field is this HUUUUUUUUUUGE mansion where the Marine Commandeer lives. I learned that the Commandeer is THE head guy of the Marines. I was hoping to be asked over for cake and tea, but no go...I had to get home.
These buildings that surrounded us were beautiful and HUGE! It was just so amazing to hear the history, but sadly it was coming from a guy who was screaming information at us over crowd noise.
Okay, I'll get to the good stuff!
The Presidential Marine Corps Band comes out and plays us a few tunes, there is some yelling of commands and what not, THEN, out walks this massive wall of men in uniform with gun in tow, marching to the cadence of the band playing. They slam guns down and do all of this stuff and what not, and there are just so many of them and the beat of their motions is resonating off of the concrete buildings around us. I blinked every time they moved!
We stood for the National Anthem, and in my eye shot was this 80-90 year old man and his adoring wife standing there with such resilience, dignity and pride. He stood there so proudly, knees bent, and was at as much attention as his little spine would allow, saluting as though he had never forgotten his belief in our great nation and standing next to the woman who carried his heart, holding his hand. It was really at that moment I caught a knot in my throat. You could hear the murmur of the crowd singing along to our nations song, getting louder with ever measure, and I just looked at this little man and I thought to myself, "I hope one day, our generation will be as proud of our country as this kind soul who fought so hard for where we are today." I too, in that moment, stood there proud to be an American, catching a glimpse of true patriotism.
When that was over, the men and their guns marched on to the field. They moved in silence to the cadence of the beat in their heads and twirled those guns, made those turns and kicked their heels with such precision it was truly AMAZING!! THEEEN...they all line up throwing their guns up in the air and all this stuff I'll spare you details to, but it was just so awesome!
THEN, they closed out with the drum and bugle corps. Of course they played my favorite "Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy" in none other than accompany B!

They had a whole ceremony and what not, but they closed the whole even by pulling the massive flag off of the massive flag pole, and one sole man on top of the building in front of us...spot light on him...playing taps.
As my dad would say, "Now that'll put a knot in your throat now, I'm tellin' ya!" And it was true. After seeing the preciseness of what these men do, not just on this field but in the field of battle or in peace, they stand tall and are proud to "support and defend". And you know what, I am too. No matter your political belief, you are Americans, and I don't know about you but I am proud of it.
God Bless America!