Yesterday was a hard day for me. After finishing my April Rememberings, the current emails, and getting nine new emails while working on them, I had a total of 28 sympathy cards written. On top of working on my cards, we were greeted in the morning with the news of the Afghan officer that shot and killed eight US soldiers and a US contractor in a meeting in Kabul. At the bottom of the news article I read it included that two other troops had been killed in separate incidents Wednesday as well. I know the spring upsurge is difficult, its something that I've tried to ready myself for, but I don't think you can ever prepare yourself enough. Then I feel selfish because I've never met these soldiers, at least not yet have these soldiers been my family members or my friends; we have miraculously been lucky. But they are someone's husband, wife, mother, father, son, daughter, cousin...
I can't accurately express how or why I feel so connected to these warriors; I just know that their lives, their stories, their legacies are important-they do mean something. The work that goes into the window to their life that arrives in my email is a true gift. I feel its an honor to be able to write these families and express my thanks and my sorrow. There's so little I can do, maybe nothing I can do to ease their pain; it almost leaves one feeling helpless, but I can try to give them this little piece, this little thought that their child, their spouse, their loved one is thought of, is remembered, is valued.
In one of the emails I recieved yesterday, a father spoke of his son that had been killed in action. His words were, "What he did, it was a calling--America cashed a check on my boy," he said. "Don't forget him." I think that sums up exactly why I will keep writing these cards, even when its hard-because I can give these families that; I can show them that their loved ones' are not forgotten. They will always be remembered.
I can't accurately express how or why I feel so connected to these warriors; I just know that their lives, their stories, their legacies are important-they do mean something. The work that goes into the window to their life that arrives in my email is a true gift. I feel its an honor to be able to write these families and express my thanks and my sorrow. There's so little I can do, maybe nothing I can do to ease their pain; it almost leaves one feeling helpless, but I can try to give them this little piece, this little thought that their child, their spouse, their loved one is thought of, is remembered, is valued.
In one of the emails I recieved yesterday, a father spoke of his son that had been killed in action. His words were, "What he did, it was a calling--America cashed a check on my boy," he said. "Don't forget him." I think that sums up exactly why I will keep writing these cards, even when its hard-because I can give these families that; I can show them that their loved ones' are not forgotten. They will always be remembered.
I'm glad to hear that someone else feels so close to our departed heroes. I look at these beautiful young people and sometimes I cry. I don't know them but I feel close to them and every death hits me in the heart. I don't even have anyone in the military and still it hits me in the heart. That's when I make sure to thank each and every military person I come across. I just say "thank you for serving our country and giving us this precious gift of freedom." I've never had anyone who didn't seem really pleased although sometimes my daughter gets a little embarrassed. That's her problem not mine.
ReplyDeleteHang in their Casey, I'm not going to say it gets easier but eventually you will get the feeling that it is something you just need to do. If it were my child, I would want to know that someone else appreciated what he had done and given for our freedom. Hugs, Phyllis
I wanted to post about a bumper sticker I saw today. It said:
ReplyDeleteMy Grandma is a Marine
I've never seen one like that before and I thought how great that it was even made and that someone could put it on their car.
I saw that as well, and it touched me on a personal level. It is a parent's fear, when they lose a child that he/she will be forgotten. So you know I have my card to that family ready to mail. each e mail I get about a fallen soldier is personal for me, because I know exactly what that family is feeling. I pray I have the right words in each card I send.
ReplyDelete