Letter from Home(to an American Soldier)

May 5, 2011

Dear American Soldier,

Its mail call again and I hope this letter brings a little cheer to your day, and not a headache after you've read all this. Its cool for this time of year in the Southeast, just coming out of some mighty rough tornadoes. Out of that fear and sorrow came a sense of pride in our state for helping each other out in this rough patch and thankfulness that we are still here to enjoy this life. Within four days of the largest tornado frenzy in Alabama, another bit of news hit home that closes at least one chapter in a book that begun two months before my oldest son was born (he's nine and a half). This news, yet again, made us reflect on this country, freedom, on the reason you all have sacrificed your lives, family, ability to enjoy the comforts of home. I listen to NPR daily and wonder sometimes what you guys hear on the news. Do you hear the support we all feel for what you are doing? Just today, NPR did a piece on military spouses and the calls coming in were so supportive. I was glad to hear people asking what they could do for the spouses while their other halves were deployed.

As much of a frustration it is to wonder if there will ever be peace in the Middle East, I think its more likely that our presence there will at least increase the amount of people with peace growing inside them, a sense of hope that things can get better. I reflect on something my stepfather told me. He is Dutch and was only four years old in 1944 when the American and Canadian soldiers freed them from occupation in a little town called Gouda, in the Netherlands. Actually, they found him walking around lost after some SS soldiers took him from his family, shaved a swastika on his head, and let him out of the vehicle a good piece from his home. The American soldiers saw him and took him home (his dad was in the Dutch police and they knew where the station was). After the fear of that event, then the kindness of American soldiers, its no wonder this made such an impact.

Along with maybe saving his life, just the shared chocolate bars and ball games or friendly smiles helped sow a tiny seed within him planted by these soldiers who had left their sons and daughters at home and was likely living a moment of heaven just playing with the little Dutch kids. When he was finished with their version of high school, he applied to be able to come to live in America, a dream he had since the age of 4-5 years old. The deal in his country was this. If you go, you must serve in the American Military for at least two years or you must complete your two year mandatory service in Holland. He chose America. He served what he thought would be a few years in the Air Force starting in 1960 only to end up serving six years, on C-130's in Vietnam. He was proud to do it as it was, to him, a small price to pay to become a real American. He became an American Citizen as soon as he could To this day, I don't know a more gung-ho American than my stepdad.

I write this to say that you guys may not change the minds of a great many grown-ups there, hope so, but who knows. But, for those little kids you guys inspire, the children you are kind to, their grateful parents when you show their children kindness, the lives you change by protecting them so they can go to school or walk to the market safely, those kids will be grownups soon enough. They will know you were there to help them. Not all, perhaps, but those who are moved by your presence, they can make a huge difference in their children and grandchildren. Speaking positively about Americans and other soldiers who "helped their country" will go a long way in combating the hate and misunderstanding in that part of the world toward our country. I know there is beauty there too, and friendly people, people you will inspire. Even a bed of roses has thorns, but I hope the seeds win out for you. You never know who will remember that soldier who played ball with them or shook their hand, or just helped them after something traumatic happened to them. You do matter and you and each of your buddies are there for a reason. Take care of yourselves and each other and the rest you have little control over. You also can't control where those seeds go. Who knows, you might just plant a forest without ever realizing it.

Take care and thank you for what you are doing for us, for your fellow soldiers, and for your country.

A friend in Alabama