As I sit here writing this I think of all of the lip service we pay to the military that serve so heroically so we can sit here and write in peace and read with tongue in cheek. Do I sound jaded? Well in some respects I am. You see I have lived on both sides of the fence. I have, as stated before, spent a goodly portion of my life attached to the military and some of, as now, in the civilian sector.
Because most people are worried about being PC in today's society, we say all the right things, but the question in my mind is, do we DO the right thing?
There are many service people that are serving overseas that have NO family back HOME. They have no one to send them "goodie boxes", call home to say I'm safe, I'm alive. But they do their jobs day by day to keep us safe and keep the wars in some other place and not here at home. Their family becomes the military they serve in. Their birthday's go unnoticed, Christmas is just what will be provided by the Military, and there maybe no mother's day, father's day or any other holiday.
How many of you in Active Rain have thought to send a goodie box to a serviceperson? How many of you have taken a few minutes out of your busy day to write a letter to say, "Thank you. We're here for you and I know how alone you must feel at times?" Oh I know, you are too busy. To busy writing blogs, reading blogs, closing deals on homes that most service men may not ever be able to afford or get home to buy. To busy with your family. To busy with your life. It only take a few minutes out of your day to do something for a serviceman. Get your church involved. Get a school started writing letters. Have a bake sale to send goodie boxes. It doesn't take much of your very busy day. And to answer you, yes, I have done some of those things. Probably not as much as I should, but as much as I can afford. What about you?
Below you find a poem. It was written by a Marine. I have given him the credit due for the writing of this poem, but the question is have we given him credit for the job he is doing?
THE MARINE
We all came together,
Both young and old
To fight for our freedom,
To stand and be bold.
In the midst of all evil,
We stand our ground,
And we protect our country
From all terror around.
Peace and not war,
Is what some people say.
But I'll give my life,
So you can live the American way.
I give you the right
To talk of your peace.
To stand in your groups,
and protest in our streets.
But still I fight on,
I don't bitch, I don't whine.
I'm just one of the people
Who is doing your time.
I'm harder than nails,
Stronger than any machine.
I'm the immortal soldier,
I'm a U.S. MARINE!
So stand in my shoes,
And leave from your home.
Fight for the people who hate you,
With the protests they've shown.
Fight for the stranger,
Fight for the young.
So they all may have,
The greatest freedom you've won.
Fight for the sick,
Fight for the poor
Fight for the cripple,
Who lives next door.
But when your time comes,
Do what I've done.
For if you stand up for freedom,
You'll stand when the fight's done.
By: Corporal Aaron M. Gilbert, US Marine Corps
USS SAIPAN, PERSIAN GULF "
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