Although I worked hard to make good grades in school, I must admit that history was of no interest to me. I was merely memorizing facts on a page. I never took into consideration the sacrifices made by the first Americans or the stress of the decisions that weighed on our founders. Names in history books only seemed like characters in a faraway land. I never viewed the soldiers as real people who endured agonizing pain in a war with real family members who suffered unbelievable sorrow as they bid them goodbye.