In honor of Memorial Day, I wanted to share with you all a poem I wrote in 2004 shortly after my friend was killed in action in Iraq. I was best friends with his wife and I spent a lot of time with her and their children. I saw his daughter ask about her dad. She was only 3 and I knew his son would never have a memory of his dad because he was only 10 months old. I want to remind you all what Memorial Day is about.
The Price of Freedom
What is the price of a soldier’s blood
Their mangled bodies laying in mud
We speak of freedom but lives were lost
How many more lives will the so called freedom cost
The 15 minutes of fame
All that is left is just a name
On a plaque in some museum
What happens to the family left behind
The pain never lessens so they find
Children left without fathers
Never an explanation why
So many nightmares too much time to cry
Some so young no memories they ever had
So many unanswered questions Where is my dad?
Remember to thank a soldier and remember the fallen. Thank you to all the soldiers and my brother in law Mike. Rest in Peace Chris and all the other fallen soldiers. Thank you to those who gave their lives for our freedom.
I hope everyone has a safe Memorial Day Weekend. Please take a few moments to remember exactly what the price of freedom really is.
This poem was written directly about the experiences I went through and saw. I am not saying only men are soldiers.
Showing posts with label soldiers. Show all posts
Showing posts with label soldiers. Show all posts
Saturday, May 29, 2010
Friday, October 9, 2009
Happy Birthday Chris!
Happy Birthday Chris. Today is Chris’s 27th birthday. A day that is supposed to be a happy one full of joy and cake and presents is one full of tears and empty arms. His mother is probably crying and his kids are probably wondering why right now. Tears are falling for him 5 years later tears for a fallen Solider. See my friend Chris was killed in Iraq in 2004. He was fighting for my freedom and all of us. He just wanted to make his kids proud of him.
I will always remember Chris as a smart man who was very funny. I miss him a lot. I think about him often. He was special. He could make me laugh. He “saved” my life once. Well, I twisted my ankle and he came and got me. We didn’t always get along but he was a good man. We butted heads a lot but we had fun playing Perfect Dark and talking. I learned so much from Chris. He was an encyclopedia of knowledge.
We always did crazy things, Chris, Her and I one year we decided we were gonna go and buy each other a ton of presents and open one each night and then we would end up opening more so we would have to get more presents. They had a birthday party of me and I ended up knocking everything out of the fridge with the gallon of orange juice and I got kicked out of the kitchen. Long Story :)
I remember when She told me he was enlisting. I thought oh he’ll be ok he will be fine. I remember when she told me he was going to Iraq. I reassured her it will be ok he will come home. I remember that March afternoon when I checked my voicemail and it was her calling and saying Call me right away Something bad has happened. I remember when I called her back her sister wouldn’t tell me what was going on. I remember when she called me back and told me. She said Chris has passed away. I couldn’t believe it I couldn’t speak and opened the gates of the Hoover Dam of tears.
I remember the viewing, I remember the funeral. It was really hard for me to approach my best friend of 17 years. I remember all of it. It seems like a dream. I used to dream that Chris was on a secret mission and that he was faking like in the movies and he would just randomly show up. Of course that isn’t the truth. My heart hurts for his family and his kids. His youngest will never remember him and that is a sad sad thing. Chris was a great person , great father and an American Hero.
So, Happy Birthday Chris, some day we will be able to see each other again and We can talk about all those things we talked about back in the day. Until then, Happy New Year.
Love,Sherla
Please remember to Thank A Solider give them a hug after all they sacrifice things: their time and their lives for our freedom. Support the Troops until they all come home. Remember to hold them tightly and tell them how proud of them you are.
I will always remember Chris as a smart man who was very funny. I miss him a lot. I think about him often. He was special. He could make me laugh. He “saved” my life once. Well, I twisted my ankle and he came and got me. We didn’t always get along but he was a good man. We butted heads a lot but we had fun playing Perfect Dark and talking. I learned so much from Chris. He was an encyclopedia of knowledge.
We always did crazy things, Chris, Her and I one year we decided we were gonna go and buy each other a ton of presents and open one each night and then we would end up opening more so we would have to get more presents. They had a birthday party of me and I ended up knocking everything out of the fridge with the gallon of orange juice and I got kicked out of the kitchen. Long Story :)
I remember when She told me he was enlisting. I thought oh he’ll be ok he will be fine. I remember when she told me he was going to Iraq. I reassured her it will be ok he will come home. I remember that March afternoon when I checked my voicemail and it was her calling and saying Call me right away Something bad has happened. I remember when I called her back her sister wouldn’t tell me what was going on. I remember when she called me back and told me. She said Chris has passed away. I couldn’t believe it I couldn’t speak and opened the gates of the Hoover Dam of tears.
I remember the viewing, I remember the funeral. It was really hard for me to approach my best friend of 17 years. I remember all of it. It seems like a dream. I used to dream that Chris was on a secret mission and that he was faking like in the movies and he would just randomly show up. Of course that isn’t the truth. My heart hurts for his family and his kids. His youngest will never remember him and that is a sad sad thing. Chris was a great person , great father and an American Hero.
So, Happy Birthday Chris, some day we will be able to see each other again and We can talk about all those things we talked about back in the day. Until then, Happy New Year.
Love,Sherla
Please remember to Thank A Solider give them a hug after all they sacrifice things: their time and their lives for our freedom. Support the Troops until they all come home. Remember to hold them tightly and tell them how proud of them you are.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)