Action!

    Many of you probably hear the word action and you immediately think of some sort of sporting event, or perhaps a type of movie that most men enjoy.  For those of us inside this crazy little circle of trust we like to refer to as the Gannon family however, Action is the given name of our fearless leader.  If my memory serves me correctly our dad, more commonly known as Jack, received his nickname shortly after us kids watched the 1988 crime thriller starring Carl Weathers as Jericho "Action" Jackson.  In the movie Action Jackson plays a Detroit cop who is framed for a murder and hunts down his accuser in an attempt to clear his name.  Now our dad bears no resemblance to the theatrical Action Jackson appearance wise, but we were led to believe from the movie that there was simply no problem in the world that Action could not solve, just like our dad.  Fathers day was not long after we watched the movie and we bought our dad a money clip with the inscription "Action Jackson" on the back, from that point forward our dad was the real life Action Jackson!
     Over the years, much like any given nickname, there have been numerous versions of the name Action.  Everything from Action Man, Action Jackson, VIP Action, and in certain areas, Montana Jack(a slightly less familiar usage with the same meaning).  One thing remains a certainty however no matter which name is used, Action can handle anything!  Between us three kids Lord knows we've tested this theory to the fullest!  Heck I could go on for hours just giving you examples of the tests I've put him through personally:)  I'll spare you the details though as if your reading this chances are you already know exactly what I'm talking about.  
     I have been lucky enough to live and learn from Action for 35 years and I feel like I have only begun to crack the surface of the life lessons he continues to pass down to all of us.  Much like every ones father is to them, he is the first man I turn to for advise on any subject.  I am extremely grateful every day for the values he has instilled in me, from his never ending love and support for his family, to his unstoppable work ethic, If I become half the man he has I would consider my life a complete success!
     Today Action celebrates his 63rd birthday and I'm happy to say that just over a year removed from his knee surgery he is nearly in the best shape of his life!  He's still following us "young bucks" up the mountain in search of elk, and the thought of renting a cart for a round of golf rarely crosses his mind any more!  We have made many memories along the way, and I know there are many more yet to come.  Happy birthday to the man who literally brought the big screen to life, Action Jack Gannon!  

Remember, take time to thank your own real life hero for all that they've done!