Wednesday, August 03, 2005

We all know them


I am hoping i don't know any of them.

But even if I don't, we all know them. They are our fresh faced friends, husbands, brothers, even fathers & sons.

This hit home for me today. Seeking the names of those killed fighting a war that makes no sense whatsoever. Seeking the names and hoping I know none of them, because all 20 or so of them are from my area. It hit home for me today.

Just like the day it hit home back in March 2003, when it all began. As I saw women with swollen bellies, watch their husbands board buses and planes with their fatigues on. Watching them leave as they clutched babies in one arm, and cradled their swollen pregnant bellies with the other. I cried as I looked at my own children. At my own husband, who in 1999 almost signed up for the Navy. Was a few days away from signing on with the Navy. Could have died, being in the Navy. My heart plunges with that thought.

I remember kissing him deeply and crying. Full face of tears streaming steadily, as he wiped them away and told me "I didn't join. Why are you crying?".... "Because I just realized how close I came to losing you".

Just like the time he held me as I cried in sobs, scared of the world around me on 9/14/2001. We sat in the car after visiting relatives. He looked at me and I looked at him. We looked at our children in the backseat. A three year old baby girl, and a six week old baby boy. Do they have futures? Do we have lives? Why did this happen three days ago? We felt so raw, so wounded. Even though we never said a word, he held me and stroked my hair and said he loved me. As though we were diving downward in an uncontrollable airplane.

Please pray for those who were lost this week. Not just because they are from my hometown, but because we all know them. Those fresh faces from every town in the good ol' U S of A. Those that put themselves on the line, for no other reason, than just because.

1 Comments:

Blogger OldHorsetailSnake said...

This is so sad, but nicely said.

1:01 PM  

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