IN HARM'S WAY

A best friend leaves today for Fort Lewis in Washington.  From there she goes to Kuwait and from there to Iraq for a year.  I miss her. I love her. She is the sister I never had, and she is my inspiration and my hero.   We held each other close, no words necessary.  Tears flowed and pride surfaced.  Pride for each other, pride for accomplishments, pride for the United States of America.  There were words said and words unsaid, because they were unnecessary.  She knows my heart and I hers.

 I attended (as a family member) the 162nd Area Support Medical Company Deployment Ceremony in Support of Operation Iraqi Freedom yesterday morning.  Words from the Brigadier General,  Chaplain and a retired 1SG USMC still ring in my ears.  "In harm's way! In harm's way!" Children clinging to their mothers or fathers deploying.  Grandmothers taking up the call to care for their grandchildren or great grandchildren for a year. Wives pregnant whose husbands will not be there for them when this new life enters the world they are protecting.

The air was permeated with a  sadness, a resignation to sacrifice, a chill, words unspoken, yet faces full of pride and pain. In the shadow of the Alamo in San Antonio, Texas where men fought and died, I choked back tears as the National Anthem was played and silent words were whispered and babies cried.    As the troops turned  at attention to face us, I said a prayer that they return to us safely, return to this country they have chosen to defend and protect.  Return.

We also serve who stay behind.  We also serve. 

First to fight for the right,

And to build the Nation's might,

And The Army Goes Rolling Along

Proud of all we have done,

Fighting till the battle's won,

And The Army Goes Rolling Along.

Then it's Hi! Hi! Hey!

The Army's on its way.

Count off the cadence loud and strong (Two! Three!)

For where e'er we go,

You will always know

That The Army Goes Rolling Along.

As I held my friend close for the last time for a year, it was a moment of peace that didn't need a smile attached. 

There was only the knowledge that she will return, and we will be together again, and that her service, love and friendship is appreciated enormously.

Godspeed!

*******************


"There comes a point in your life when you realize, who matters, who never did, who won't anymore, and who always will.  So don't worry about people from
your past, there's a reason why they didn't make it to your future."
Amen

To support our soldiers who are willingly to put themselves in harm's way

Please send contributions to:

Penny's From Heaven Foundation, Inc.

13423 Blanco Road, Ste. 218

San Antonio, TX 78216

or

visit our website

http://www.pennysfromheavenfoundation.org/