Good evening readers!
Today I have a question for you!
When did the military FIRST touch your heart?
This was mine:
Me in 2006-Vietnam Wall Memorial, Washington, DC
Growing up in southern Texas I was raised to already have a respect for those in the military. If you saw a soldier on the street you smiled and thanked them without hesitation. Even as a little girl, I didn't really even understand what the military did yet I knew that they were to be respected. Sadly, nobody in my family had any military affiliation or prior service so I never fully understood growing up.
I was in 7th grade when the twin towers fell on 9/11. I was sitting in the middle of my American History class when there was an unusual commotion going on in the hallway. Once the teacher poked her head out of the door and got some information she came back into the classroom and turned on the TV. I sat there in horror as we all witnessed the tragedy that was unfolding.
As I watched the ashes fall like snow I decided that I never wanted myself or someone I loved put in harms way like that.....It was then that I discovered that I was truly terrified. Terrified of ever joining the military or ever falling in love with a soldier.
BOY DID THAT CHANGE.
It wasn't until years later when I got into high school that I started understanding WHY the military and their families DO what they DO. I met Chris and we started dating in 2005.
Not only was Chris' father an Airforce Veteran, but Chris' grandfather was also. Meeting those two opened up a whole new curiosity for the military life.
It wasn't until a school trip to Washington, DC that put it all into perspective for me and changed my mind forever.
Chris and I were both lucky enough to participate and go on the trip. We flew in to DC and once we got there our itinerary was so jam packed we barely had time to sit down! 4 whole days! We saw ALL of the monuments- Lincoln memorial, Jefferson Memorial, Washington monument, Iwo Jima Memorial, went to a yacht party on the Potomac River, saw the Smithsonian, the Pentagon, the White House, Watergate building, had a Sunday mass at the Washington National Cathedral, went to the JFK museum, went to the Supreme Court Building, Library of Congress, the Ford's theater, and more!
We even had lunch on the grass on the Capitol Building lawn!
I have to say though, of all the places we went there were TWO things that impacted me the most, and they were both about the military.
1. The Vietnam Wall
2. Arlington National Cemetery & the Tomb of the Unknowns. (Arlington, VA)
As I stood at the Vietnam Wall I was taken aback just by its size...it goes on FOREVER. It's beautiful, pictures just don't do it justice. The black granite is so smooth, almost like glass. Its cool to the touch and the names inscribed are amazing. People leave wreaths and other things to memorialize the fallen. The feeling that you get when you stand in front of it is inexplicable. Touching this wall changed my life forever. I finally understood WHY the military do what they do. They do it for pride. They do it because they love their country and the do it because they want our amazing nation to remain free. It all clicked for me that moment. A new sense of pride for our country and the need to protect it was instilled in me that day.
Our drive through Arlington National Cemetery was eerily quiet for a charter bus FULL of high school teenagers. Once we got off the bus- even more silence. We were all just stunned at the number of bright white tomb stones that lined the hills. If you have never been there you have NO IDEA just how many there are. It makes you feel tiny in comparison. Some of us even wept when we were hit with the impact of knowing just how many soldiers pay the ultimate price to keep our country free. As a society we have become so consumed with getting everything we want, when we want it, that most people are so desensitized to how much is being sacrificed to keep our lifestyle comfortable. Some people don't appreciate the things that they have but if only they knew how much worse off they could be. How miserable would we all be if our country was communist like North Korea?
Once we looked at some of the graves we went to the JFK Eternal Flame. The flame was lit in 1967 and has since then remained lit. It is absolutely a beautiful sight to see. Truly humbling.
Lastly, we walked over to the Tomb of the Unknowns and were fortunate enough to participate in a wreath laying ceremony , as well as witnessing the Changing of the Guard. The Tomb contains the remains of 4 unidentifiable American soldiers, one from each war and is a memorial to all those who were unidentified or remain missing.
As I watched a friend lay the wreath, I wept for the families out there who never got a proper funeral for their loved one during those times of war. So many soldiers never came home and were never found or identified.
The changing of the guard was an amazing experience as well. I got goosebumps as I witnessed the guards act with pride and precision. The Tomb of the Unknowns is guarded 24 hrs a day, 365 days a year no matter what the weather conditions. And all the guards are volunteers. They do it for the symbolism, for the pride. It's truly amazing. Click HERE to read the incredible details about the guards.
So these are the things that changed my life and made up my mind about the military. I consider myself truly blessed to have been able to travel to D.C to encounter these people and places.
This trip will remain close to my heart forever. It made me exceptionally proud to be an American, and now 5 years later I feel BLESSED to call myself an Army wife.
So I ask you again,
When did the military first touch YOUR heart?
So I ask you again,
When did the military first touch YOUR heart?
