There are many things that can make people feel good.  One thing of course is physical activity.  The ability to get the blood pumping, increasing oxygen to every part of your body including the mind makes for a better feeling and gets the day started out right if you choose to exercise in the morning. 
Something you maybe don’t hear a lot of compliments or appreciation towards what we do because complaints and negative attitudes seem to saturate the mind so much easier with the help of media and other outlets that bring out worst in certain situations.  I know it first hand working in radio.  I could tell you that it’s not the case but I’d be lying.  Watch any news cast and keep track of the negative compared to positive stories in your opinion. 
I do hear a lot of compliments and appreciation towards what Philco’s Freedom Team does and is all about.  There’s been times where it feels like everything could just crash right down because of one thing said by some idiot who makes a decision to speak their mind in a negative way to others who aren’t even involved in the purpose of this team.   When I started this in 2007, I did it out of pure dedication to keep a friend’s name alive.  He wasn’t a guy who I hung out with a lot, he wasn’t a guy who made special trips to come visit me when I moved to a different location.   What he did was treated me and everyone else, regardless of who you were and what you believed, with the same respect and attitude.  He was a genuine, caring person for anyone that crossed his path.  You should be able to understand that considering the closest anyone can get to him now – family, friends & anyone else – is six feet.  The way you know he’s close to you is by looking at a rock that has his name labeled on it.  He’s resting beneath that ground you walk on when you approach his grave site.  And you, reading this right now; he did it for you.  He and thousands of others are resting after battling and fighting to keep you free.  Yet running in memory of fallen soldiers can sometimes be considered “too much” for some. 

The thing I realized this weekend sets things aside.  I could sit and dwell on the sad fact that some may be irritated about the recognition that’s well deserved this team and a lot of other groups, teams and organizations give to our troops…or I could listen to a ten year old tell me something that will change your perspective into a positive thing. 
On a very nice Saturday afternoon, I made my way down to Waubun, MN for their Pre-Harvest festival that’s always in July.  They had a parade at noon and I decided to put a float in there with the radio station logos (Gold 101.5 FM KRJM) & teaming it with Philco’s Freedom Team along with some Patriot Guard magnets slapped onto it, with the American flag and MPGR yellow flag flapping in the wind while we drove slowly down the streets tossing out Frisbees provided by the radio station for giveaways. 
Following the parade I was getting some food and looking for a few people that I wanted to talk to when a kid came and cut me off walking through the park.  I don’t know what his name is and failed to ask, but he knew my name.  He came up smiling with his hand in the air aiming for a high five which I gave him and asked how it was going.  He told me he was having fun and that he saw me go through the parade and really liked my stickers (magnets) for my team that says: “Philco’s Freedom Run” with a shadow of a man running with the flag.  It was a logo made by my friend Kelsey Stephens.  Turned out really nice and I had it placed on a car magnet for events like this and of course the run events.  This kid went on to tell me “I saw you at a run once and that was the coolest thing I’ve ever seen.  I bet your friend you run for thinks it’s pretty cool too.”  Right at that point I realized something I’ve been told in the past.  A life lesson I guess you could say…that actions speak louder than words.  This ten year old kid saw me at an event running, had never talked to me before but wasn’t afraid to come up and tell me what he thought about it and in this case, a positive thing.  I didn’t even know how to respond to him.  I told him “I think Corey would like it too…at least I think so anyway.”  The last thing he told me before heading out with his friends ensured actions speak louder than words.  He said “I’ve been running more, so maybe I’ll get to run with you someday.” 
A quick moment like that can boost your morale quick.  It makes you think even after the fact on the drive home how training, running and keeping the memory of our fallen soldiers alive may have made a huge impact for a young kid.  It’s little conversations like this that keep me moving forward, one step at a time.