I Remember

I remember.
I remember.....
As a little girl I would hug my daddy when he would return from weekend training.
I remember the smell of his uniform so vividly that years later when I was given a military issued sleeping bag on a camping trip I knew that smell was just like daddy.

I remember.

The day daddy came home and unpacked his things and gifted each of us with something special from his trip to Italy. I recall the stories of his long flight on a military plane without the comfort of cushioned seats and meal service.

I remember.

I remember the day my husband came home on a plane after basic training. The way he hugged me and kissed me as if it had been a lifetime ago that he left.
I remember when the phone rang and someone asked if my husband was OK and I stood standing wondering why they asked. A car wreck while traveling during his full time recruitment job with the National Guard.

I remember.

Thumbing through pictures and reading sweet love notes that my grandfather penned to my grandmother while serving during war time.

I remember.

The greatest smile ever seen on my husband's grandfathers face when he received his high-school diploma well into old age. A privilege he gave up to serve as a teenager.
I remember the mothers, wives, children and other loved ones who cling to the hope that their solider will return.

I remember.

I remember the sight of the first building hit on 9-11 and then seeing the second plane collide. With tears, I remember watching the people run from the buildings, ashes covering their shell-shocked faces.
I remember that I live in America and my freedom is at a high cost.
What do you remember?
As I remember, I give thanks. I give thanks to those I know and love, yes. But I also give thanks to every man and women who has served and is serving in our armed forces. No matter the branch, no matter the capacity. I say, thank you.

 

Blessings to all our Veterans~ Jodie