This is not a political post whatsoever. Don't worry. What it is a small "shout out" so to speak. Yeah, we are at war right now....in case you didn't know. Whether your for or against, up to date or only know what you hear on the "Jon Stuart" show it shouldn't matter. I've got a fellow co-worker who was just re-deployed over to "the sandbox" as they say. I know it takes a lot for his family to have him gone and I just want to say thanks to all those who have done the same.
I also had the opportunity to come in contact with a returned soldier of Iraq. He was only 23 years old. He was younger than me. Whatever he had experienced over there had really changed him. His wife sat and pleaded with me to take him to the hospital because she now feared for her children and his safety. She told me how now he had tried to hurt himself in numerous different ways and couldn't even be around people anymore with his anxiety attacks. At first I thought she was exaggerating...but she wasn't.
I was invited into the home to find him hiding underneath his bed. A grown man hiding from us. When he did finally come out from the bed he kept his hands over his eyes and made me lead him to the back of the patrol car because he said he would "freak out" if he could actually see us. It was definitely a solemn feeling. He was a great guy who I had a great conversation with on the way down to the hospital, but his anxiety from the war had made him unable to function.
I guess it just takes a few stories that hit a bit close to home to make me be extremely grateful for every person whose taken it upon themselves to change something for the better.
