Thought I should share this with you all
Posted: Sat Feb 28, 2004 6:45 am
Monday, February 16, 2004 19:10 TIMES READ: 2650
I hope Joss reads this!!!!
STATIC
Well, my days of not taking you seriously are certainly coming to a middle.
I know that a couple of people who are not real thrilled that some of us soldier-type guys shout out firefly-isms during combat, and I can honestly understand that. However, I hope that Joss and Tim read this and find it inspiring, and I hope that everyone feels their guts knot up as much as I did. . .and maybe a tear or two will well up in your eyes, as they are streaming down my face just from the telling of this. . .
As you all know, I've been a soldier stationed in Afghanistan for quite some time now. Many of you know that I'm posting this from my own home tonight, as I have been permitted to come home for ten days on leave. It's been a very long time since I've been home. I flew from Afghanistan to Frankfurt via military cargo jet (C-17 for those 'in the know'), and the next morning, we got on a commercial flight to Chicago. I got off the plane, grabbed my big-assed duffel bags and prepared to wait in line for customs, and to my delight, the Customs officers were pulling any soldier-types out of line and passing them through, with a pat on the back and a 'welcome home'. I immediately had to re-check my bags for my final flight, and after doing so, I made a beeline outside. I crossed the street and walked into the snow, the first I'd seen since January 2003, and stood at the base of the American Flag for a second before I finally became overwhelmed and fell to my knees. I grabbed a double handful of snow and rubbed it all over my face. When I stood up, I realized there were almost 20 other soldiers with me, all who had the same idea. Most of us didn't know each other at all, but for that moment, we were brothers who had been best of friends all our lives.
We decided to head on inside, and one young man, his name was Mike, was still overwhelmed with emotion and could not stand. Another soldier, a friend of his, went to lift Mike, and I took Mike's other arm. Mike smiled weakly and thanked us. Here's where it gets tough to even tell the story, and I hope Joss and Tim read this. . .
Mike's friend said, "You know the saying, Mikey. . .when you can't run anymore you crawl. . ." and before he could say anymore, I finished it for him. "And when you can't do that anymore, you find someone to carry you."
Mike and his buddy, and about half the guys who were standing there with us all smiled. We looked up at the flag and Mike said, "They didn't take the sky from us." Turns out they were all Browncoats, and they were home from Iraq for good.
Joss, Tim and all the rest of you. . .I don't know if you had any idea that what you created would be so powerful, and provide such inspiration for those of us who serve, but it does. Thank you.
And to all of you whom I've come to call my friends on this site, thank YOU. Because of your love and support, the 'bad guys' are unable to take the sky from ME.
I'M HOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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"Wash. . .we got some local color happening. A grand entrance would not go amiss."
