Writing Fuels My Soul: Twenty Remained Standing

I attended my older son’s Veteran’s Day school assembly this morning to listen to his select group in the band play a piece with the choir. In an hour, I’ll be heading to my youngest son’s assembly where he will be part of the Color Guard. I don’t know what the assembly will entail this afternoon, but the one this morning was very moving. The school had a wonderful ceremony and did an outstanding job of recognizing all those students who have an active family member in the military. They were asked to sit in a special section together and when they were recognized, over 100 students stood up (according to the Veteran’s Day e-mail the school just sent out.) When they asked the ones to remain standing who currently had a parent deployed, over 20 remained standing. I was moved. That is such a huge sacrifice for those families. I can’t imagine being away from my family for a year or more at a time.

I am however, so very grateful for the military mothers and fathers who serve our country every day so that we may sleep soundly in our beds at night and enjoy the freedoms we do as Americans. If it weren’t for them, our lives could be very different. My heart though, is with those 20 or so students who stood up during the assembly this morning whose parent is deployed. Their mothers don’t get to kiss them good night. Their fathers don’t get to attend their soccer games. They don’t get to tell their parents what silly thing happened during Algebra class or what upset them during lunch. They are making a sacrifice as well.

I am not from a military family, so cannot begin to imagine what it would be like to have a family member in harms way during this time of war. For those students, still young children really, this is their reality. They must go to bed each evening with a part of them worried for their parent’s safety. Tonight I will worry with them. Seeing those boys and girls stand proudly in honor of their mothers and fathers touched me. Tonight I will kiss my two boys goodnight for the mothers and fathers who cannot kiss their own. I will tell my boys that I love them, like I do every night, but I will share that love with those parents who are serving our country to keep us safe. I will remember them tonight and offer up and extra prayer of protection for them and hope that those students will not have to stand up next year.

I have an uncle who served our country and my mother’s cousins have served as well. To them, I say thank you and to their families, I say thank you. We appreciate the sacrifice you’ve made for all of us.