From The Eyes of Heaven
I see you, son.
I saw you before you were born. I saw you as a young man. You were rather rowdy.
I remember all the shenanigans and the stress you gave your mother. The head to heads you had with your father.
I remember the day you told them.
Your mother was heartbroken and your father was furious. Many family friends speculated it was your only option. Some said it was because you needed discipline. But I saw your heart.
I remember the first day of boot camp, you had no idea what you got yourself into. You threw up twice a day for the next three months, but, you loved it. By the end you were a machine; you were a soldier.
At graduation you introduced her to your parents and said this is the love of my life. Your dad pulled you aside and said,
That was the first time you two had hugged since you could remember.
The sun was out, it was a beautiful day. You could smell the rain but couldn’t see any sign of it yet. That’s when she came to the porch. She was crying and you sprung to action. She choked out these words,
And you swung her around in your arms with joy and expectation.
You marched in that morning ready to share the news.
BOOM.
The pitter patter was loud.
There was the rain.
It’d been two years. You didn’t know if the fighting would ever stop. You thanked me for technology and questioned how your great grandparents could have done this without it. You were still one of the lucky ones. You saw your daughter grow up; others heard about the other man that would raise theirs; as if the Dear John was sufficient reason.
You didn’t know it that morning, but today was tough. They called you to the village and you wondered how it would feel to be them. Standing in the door looking at your daughter laying there. Your life would be over, there’s no way you could go on. How could they?
Before you could turn your head you heard the whistle past your ear.
Your radios were down and you ducked behind the walls. Your sergeant was giving orders but you knew what came next. The village needed protected. You looked up to me and said, “Let them know I loved them and keep them safe.”
Now you’re probably wondering why I’m telling you all of this. Look down there. You’re already lowered down but see who else is there.
Exactly, and you see them handing the flag to those beautiful ladies?
The tears streamed down their face but they were smiling.
Odd isn’t it. It is because they know. The same way I did from the beginning. You did this because you loved your fellow man. Because you loved them. Because even all those people who spat on you because of your color, the people who hated you because you were “toxic,” and the ones who thought you evil because war is evil; you loved them too. You did it so they would have the freedom to hate you.
Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. So, they know…and now you do. I’ll keep them safe, as you asked, but because you did first, Soldier.
Let's build together.