wow!!!!!!!!

many times, i have written about how i feel about being so blessed. way more than one man should be. for some reason, it just keeps on.
my trip to chattanooga is always a good one. i have made some friends over the years at all of the ballparks i go to, but this one is special. catch up with friends is always time well spent.
tonight, at at&t field, it was one of those "bring your pet to the park night" which is always interesting. however, i was blind-sided by who sang the Star Spangled Banner.
i can't remember his name, and yes, it is important because of several things. first, he is a huge chattanooga lookouts fan. second, he is paralyzed, in a wheelchair, and uses one of those text-to speech keyboards attached to his chair. i don't always pay attention to the person singing as i feel the message is more important than the messenger. the messenger over-rode the message. when it was time, he pressed a button on the keyboard and his pre-recorded rendition was played.
i sometimes get emotional when it is sung really well with personal touches. this went beyond it. as i was taught, when our anthem is played, we are to look at the flag and reflect on the great heritage of our country. tonight, my eyes, as well as most in the park, were fixed on him. when it was finished, just before the applause and after, you could hear the "sniffing sounds" from those around you. lots of people were crying and even the burliest of those had some wet eyes. i am trying to get an image from one of the photogs there and when i do, i will upload it. it was truly one of those moments in your life that makes you proud of where you were at a particular place and time. i was very honored to be able to witness it.
until next time...