A good friend of mine is about to commence his service to the United States Army. No one in my family or group of friends has served before, and therefore, I am left feeling both proud but also afraid for this new chapter in my friend's life. Regardless of the things Bill has shared and will continue to share with me about the Army, I will never completely understand the life of a soldier. And that scares me. Isn't that THE thing we, as human beings, are most afraid of- the UNKNOWN. the What-ifs? There is something else that scares me as well. CHANGE. People always say that war tends to change people.Maybe this is true but it's not just war that changes people. People are changed by many things. Losing a loved one. Losing a job. Hurricanes. Floods. Death. New Life. Marriage. A new found faith. All these things change people. And more often than not, that change BECOMES part of that person. It becomes part of their story. And although I am often afraid of change, and I also think that it's a good thing. It's a growing thing. Change is certain. But does the CORE of person ever change? Can the essence of who that person is be altered completely? What if the core of that person is EVIL? Can he change his ways? I guess these are kind of loaded question. questions I'm going to leave open for you do decide for yourself. But I want to get back to something I do know. The core of my friend Bill. Although life has taken both us in two opposite directions, I have no doubt that the core of my friend Bill has and will always remain constant. What is the core of his life? Two things:
STRENGTH and HONOR.
That is truly the essence of Bill's life. I am confident that he will live out this next chapter of his life with both strength and honor. He will thus bring honor to his nation. to his family. and to the Army. And without getting too sappy, I'd like to thank Bill for the ways he has touched my life and the ways he has challenged me to listen to my heart and to never allow what matters most to get pushed aside. I will miss his kindness and wisdom. The way that he encourages others, rallies those around him, supports and respects his fellow man, and the way he puts his heart and soul into everything he does. I am blessed by all of these things. Though my heart is troubled by the uncertainty that the future holds for Bill, it is also full of love and respect for Bill. And therefore I can only send my greatest blessings with him as he leads his fellow man and protects his Nation the only way he knows how.... with strength and honor.
Love you Bill. Strength and honor.
2 comments:
Natalie, thank you. I am not as articulate as you when it comes to writing, but know that you've got my love and support for life.
And I am convinced you know more about being an American soldier than you realize. As long as you live your life to the fullest, you are "silently" empowering every soldier to defend his/her great nation--and that is/should be the essence of an American soldier.
Oh, Nat, what a sweet tribute to your friend. I am so glad you shared this, and I am so thankful for those who serve in this "land of the free, because of the brave."
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