Monday, May 28, 2007

In A Heartbeat!


This America that we live in, knit in, garden in, raise our children, didn't just happen. It was an idea, embraced and fought for, over and over again.


It is not easy to wrap my mind around the notion that someone really did go to Afghanistan, to Korea, to Normandy; someone really did die at Gettysburg, really did lay down his life at Concord so that I and my family could live and knit and garden and raise children. So we could choose how to live and not be subjected to tyrrany.


American men and women rouse themselves from uncomfortable sleep in countries all over the world; they pull on their boots, look for coffee, grab an MRE, and show up for duty with the rest of their squad. They are loaded down with many pounds of equipment intended to protect them, and a gun to kill the enemy. They listen to their orders, to the description of the mission for the day. Then they go out and do it.


They think of their homes and families; of sweethearts and children. They think of their schools or jobs back home. Their mouths go dry and insides become liquid; fear is their constant companion. But they pull on their boots, show up for duty, and go out and do it - for their country, for their families, for me and for you.


Would I die for freedom? Would I die to prevent someone taking all this away from my children? Would I stand between the liberties I enjoy and the threat of losing it all? Would I? Would I take that soldier's place? Would I ?


Beth

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