I put my kids to bed tonight. Probably the last time I’ll do that for a while. We all cried.
The goodbyes make me sad. As my daughter pointed out, there would be something wrong if I were not sad. I still don’t like feeling sad.
This poem has come up a couple of times since I’ve been home. It was first pointed out by my wife. After I’d read it she asked if it made me cry. I had managed to get through the first reading of it without shedding tears so I was able to honestly answer no. Of course, subsequent reading of it brought me to tears that I couldn’t stop. The verse from the perspective of the small child is that of my son. The verse from the perspective of the soldier is mine save that I’m a sailor not a soldier.
I always have to chuckle at those who demand peace. Peace is only possible for as long as there is no one willing to use violence. The Saddams and Hitlers of the world love those who will do anything for peace.
As we approach the one year anniversary of the start of this war America has grown tired of hearing about it. The heros returning and the sacrifices made by them and their families America is tired of hearing. As we enter an election year the rhetoric will fly about whether or not we should be in this war and how we got there. As war is really an ugly business that no one really wants, the arguments about why we should never have entered it will sound better each time. Being a sailor, soldier, airman or marine really is a thankless job. However, I still believe that every generation must pay the price of freedom and liberty. And that price is always paid in blood.
Aloha
The forth paragraph stating with “I always have to chuckle….” is profound. What a shame that the “peac-niks of the U S of A don’t understand this TRUTH.
I hope your service is going as well as can be expected. While I don’t think the peace movement is entirely naive or wrongheaded, I have so much respect for what our service people are doing and the sacrifices that have been made. My url entry for this comment is a brief illustration of what I think of all the controversy surrounding this war. Read it if you have a chance. Thank you, and God bless you.