I am honored to say that someone very dear to me is one of these courageous soldiers. My soldier and I have had to endure the pains of separation for 3 years with 2 weeks here and there of time spent together. We have felt the frustration of many months apart. Soon we will be forced to say goodbye once again as he awaits deployment to Afghanistan this coming Spring. He is my hero and he is one of the many heroes to our country's freedom. One of many brave soldiers who have trained for combat and have prepared themselves to face whatever is thrown their way, even though for them it is just another day on the job.
As my soldier and I buckle down for a coming year filled with letters, emails, and long-distance calls from a war-zone, we have to constantly remind each other that although we may be a 1000 miles apart, we will always be together wherever we are. He holds my hand, even though his hand is too far away to grasp. And he is always in my heart, even though our hearts are separated by a distance too impenetrable to cross.
My duty simply is to pray; to remember; to listen; and to love.
The life of a soldier is not always filled with glory as seen in movies, but neither is it a life full of constant pain. The sacrifice of distance, time, training, and combat is just the reality of daily life. They simply carry out what they have called to do. The ripping agony of separation settles into a dull pain as we miss the one we love.
Still, my heart will always be with my soldier, wherever he goes.
"A Hero is someone who has given his or her life to something bigger than oneself" -Joseph Campbell
I do not write this to romanticize war, or to glamorize pain, but, instead, I write this as a dedication to the one I love.
Be reminded today that there are those who have given their lives, the certainty of their tomorrows, and the luxury of being with loved ones to fight for our freedom at whatever the cost.
