Venus Trapped in Mars Sports and Lifestyle Blog Dallas

22 April 2013

Life Lessons

You know that phrase, "You'll thank me later!"
You usually hear it right after a lecture, advice or some sort of discipline. 

I probably heard this phrase from my Dad 753 times growing up. 
I was a good kid, but 99% of the time I heard him say "You'll thank me later" I'm sure I offered up the ever-so-ungrateful teenager eye-roll. 

The vast majority of the things he lectured me on, I either can't remember or I see no reason to offer thanks at this day and time. Not sure why I needed to shoot 500 free throws every night of the week. I'm in marketing and graphic design now, that didn't help me become Brittany Griener. 
(Whew, THANK GOD)

I'll tell you one thing I never understood then,
and I didn't understand even after 9/11.

But I understand now, after Boston. 

Dad: "Sarah Venus put your hand on your heart for this country. Next time I see you without your hand on your heart during the National Anthem, I'm not letting the coach put you in the game."

Me: "Dad, there isn't one other girl that has their hand on their heart!! Why do I have to do it?? I'll look like a nerd."

Dad: "Do it. You'll thank me later"

So I did it. I wanted to go in the game, obviously. I felt like such a nerd the whole time because all of my teammates just held their hands behind their back or at their sides. Talk about stupid stuff we worry about as a high school kid, huh?
I put my hand on my heart for every high school basketball game I played in, I put my hand on my heart for every sporting event I attended as a fan. I didn't understand it, I just did it because I was told to. 

This weekend, as I watched 
David Ortiz drop passionate F bombs for his love of Boston - then be forgiven by the FCC
as I watched
The people of Boston celebrate in the streets waiving American flags
as I watched 
The stories of the heroes who had NO FEAR and went in and helped bombing victims when they easily could have run (like I would have).

I got it. 
Our continued actions of patriotism hold America right to our hearts.

My Dad passed away in 2006 when I was just 19, so I never got to thank him for this lesson on patriotism. I'm sure he knew it would click one day! Parents are smart like that. 


So here I am asking you all to join me and,
take your hat off at a baseball game (you can fix your hair after, I promise)
 and put your hand on your heart during the National Anthem
Shake a soldiers hand, tell them thank you
We are the United States of Fucking America. 

--If David can say it, I can say it, right FCC?
God Bless America.



Venus Trapped

32 comments :

  1. this is really great and your poppa had some great lessons : )

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  2. This is a fantastic post. xoxo

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  3. My dad told me the same thing when I was younger. He's retired Army and always tears up every time he hears our Anthem. We live in such a great country & I feel like people forget how lucky we are. Loved this post :)

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  4. best post ever written. AMERICA, FUCK YEA!!

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  5. Excellent post!

    At my son's opening day baseball parade, a few days before the Boston attacks, they played the national anthem. We told our daughter to put her hand over her heart. She was like, "Why???" We explained it the best we could to a 4-year-old. She'll thank us later too. ;)

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  6. Your pops was a smart man! AmuricaFuckYeah!

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  7. I love this. There are a couple people that I didn't get to thank for something that I didn't understand at the time- but means a lot to me now. Isn't it ridiculous the way our brains work in high school? I wish i could go back and punch high school me in the face for some of the things she did/didn't do because of worrying what people might think. Again, awesome post :)

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  8. Love this! Your Daddy-O knew what as up!

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  9. i love this post, probably one of my most favorite from you. this is greatness and makes me smile.

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  10. I always put my hand to heart and sing along all the time. I feel like I am blessed that I can, so I do it!

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  11. Great post! And so true. I always felt like the kids who didn't say the pledge of allegiance in high school were being so disrespectful. Do you have a real, thought out reason for not saying it? No. You're lazy and you're too cool. That isn't a reason. I always hated that. Your Dad sounds like he was a stand up guy and a great American.

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  12. AMEN! Your dad definitely knew what was up.

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  13. great lesson! like 2 years ago on 9/11 i was at a game at angels stadium and some lady threw a fit throughout the entire national anthem because i almost knocked over her beer. during that time my younger brother was in iraq so the national anthem and star spangled banned made me a little more emotional that normal and tried to keep back tears because i missed him. no luck on that end. i understand how valuable and necessary booze is, but have the decency and respect for your country to wait until the ceremony is done to get pissy over a freaking beer. ugh. had i been more gutsy i would have picked up her cup and poured it out and said fuck you and walked away. oh well.

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  14. I hate it but I love it when my dad's right. Each year that goes by proves at least one or two more of his theories to be right. God Bless America and the Boston Red Sox.

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  15. As someone who lost their dad, those words said stick with you even more as you grow up. My dads favorite line to me was "make good decisions" I can still hear it in his voice, playing in my head.

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  16. What a special memory and legacy your dad left behind for you!

    Also, just noticed Peyton Manning is the first of your favorite athletes - he's #1 in my heart as well.

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  17. I just found your blog and I'm so glad I did because....
    ...I love sports, too.
    ...when I was in high school I had a cruch on JJ as a Blue Devil {and maybe still do today, ha}.
    ...I got a tennis ball from a shirtless Andy Roddick a few years ago so I'm obviously in love with him, too.
    ...I am slightly disappointed that you are a Cowboys fan {fly Eagles fly!} but I'm willing to overlook that because of the above statements.

    So obviously, I'm now following you via bloglovin.

    Phylicia
    http://heartsncraftsboutique.blogspot.com/

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  18. I wish everyone would tell their kids to respect America and the symbols like your father did.
    Umm how have I never known about Jason Witten? So cute! Maybe it's because I'm a saints fan but I'll have to drool over Witten every once in a while. It's not cheating on the Saints is it?

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  19. patriotism is a powerful thing. our local radio station played your national anthem (i'm in canada) after the boston bombing as a tribute to your country's strength in coming together after such a terrible thing.

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  20. Fantastic post. Definitely makes me rethink the national anthem at baseball games for sure! I'll take this one to heart.

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    1. Hey girl!! Thank you for the comment (and the great pun!) I tried to email you back but it wouldn't let me, I hope you see this message :)

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  21. AMEN!!!!!!!!!!!!
    GOD BLESS AMERICA!!!!!!!!

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  22. Yesss! I put my hand over my heart during the anthem and people sometimes say, you know, you don't have to do that. But it's a choice not an obligation. This is a great post!

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  23. that's definitely something we need to remember! hopefully parents are still teaching their kids that lesson!

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  24. This is awesome! My husband is in Afghanistan right now & it is so nice to know that there are people out there who love this country so much :)

    God bless America is right!

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  25. That is a great lesson he taught you :D

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  26. I love this story. So many things my mom told me to do that I thought were soo dorky, and now I'm so glad she did. :)

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  27. Amen sister! I love this story! Hugs!

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  28. Very well written. You should be thankful to your dad. My parents are also like that , "Don't do this, you will be thanking me after this". I thought I would never understood this till now!

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  29. There are so many things my parents said "you'll thank me later" to, and honestly, 99% of them were true. This also is true. I am sure that even though your Dad isn't here with us anymore, he is aware of and proud of you :)

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