How a young girl reminds us of soldiers' sacrifices

You've seen them now for years, but they never do grow old, do they?

Those videos or photos of surprised young children embracing their fathers, who have returned from military duty.

We had such a moment last week, thanks in part to the St. Louis Cardinals, when Kylie Peters, 8, was reunited with her father, Staff Sgt Matthew Peters, at Busch Stadium.

Kylie was attending the game with her second-grade class from St. Paul Lutheran School to sing "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" for the seventh-inning stretch.

Matthew surprised his daughter at the completion of the song.

The photos that the Cardinals posted on Facebook were absolutely precious as Kylie soaked up her father, who is a member of the National Guard and has been in Honduras on a special assignment.

"When she first turned to me, she looked at me and she was puzzled," Peters said in an interview with Southeast Missourian reporter Savanna Maue. "She just didn't expect it. And then I said ‘Hi, Kylie,' and she ran over to me and jumped up in my arms and buried her head in my chest. She cried for probably the next 20 minutes."

We have spent a lot of time recently talking about the bravery of our military personnel, whether in association with D-Day or for our Vietnam veterans who are being recognized with the traveling "Wall That Heals" being stationed in Perryville over the weekend. Usually when we talk about bravery, it's in the context of a soldier's effort in battle. When we talk about sacrifices, we usually mean them in the context of injuries, loss of limbs or death.

But Kylie and the Peters family remind us of other sacrifices being made, ones that matter so much.

Kylie, on behalf of Americans everywhere, we thank you for letting us borrow your Daddy for a little while to help make our country safe. Staff Sgt. Peters, thank you, so much, for putting all of us so high on your list of priorities. Kylie's reaction tells us how much love you have for your daughter. And your willingness to put on a uniform tells us all just how much you love this country.

A special thanks to each and every soldier who has left loving spouses and children to serve the military interests of the United States.