Nearly everyone I associate with on a daily basis is somehow connected to the military. Over the course of the last 3 years I have become a little desensitized to all the nuances military life brings. Today as I was running errands, I stopped at a red light and at that moment, hundreds of soldiers walked out of a large building . I pondered the purpose for so many soldiers gathering in one location and assumed it was some type of meeting for the upcoming deployment.
As I watched these soldiers flood the streets my chest began to stiffen and tears fell from my face. I was reminded of very similar feelings I had when we orginally moved to the Rose Barracks. Just as I did 3 years ago, today I watched the soon to deploy men and women walk around base and realized each one of these soldiers is an individual with a family, friends and their own set of fears and insecurties.
I imagined the awful situations these individuals would witness and what lifelong affect they might have. I was reminded of the children who cried for their fathers absence and the wives who worked dilgently to keep the household running. I remember during the last deployment feeling helpless in my efforts to lighten the burden.
Today, I sat in the car and allowed myself to cry for these soldiers and their families and the hardships they will endure for the next year. I thought of my friends who within a matter of days will temporarily seperate from their spouses. As I finished my errands I felt more appreciation for my freedoms and those who have paid and continue to pay heavily for them. Today, I was reminded of the prayers I once offered in behalf of the soldiers and their families and today I was reminded that those prayers are still needed.
1 comment:
Well said Emily. I feel a big sense of appreciation and debt to those who have sacrificed in so many different ways to establish, defend and maintian our blessed nation!
Josh
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