Today I headed up to Watertown (largest town in far upstate New York, right near Fort Drum home of the 10th mountain division). We were heading up that way to spend some time in the thousand islands with the family. On the way back me and my family stopped at the Cracker Barrel to get some food. We entered the place, an I noticed two10th mountain division soldiers leaving the restaurant. They were still in their desert camouflage. With them was who I assume was their girlfriends. So I hurried ahead of my family over to great them before they leaved. I walked up to the first man and extend my hand and said "thank you for your service to our country" and preceded to shake his hand. I preceded to say the same thing as well as shake the hand of the other soldier. The thing I noticed is they both had the same look on their face. Very hard look to explain, sort of surprised look as well as an awkward feeling mixed in with that. This left me feeling very odd, left me with that feeling you get from hearing the star spangle banner in Yankee stadium, or from watching an air show. What happened next was something thats never happened to me before. When we were seated by the window I peered out and watched the two gentle men and their girlfriends walk out into the parking lo,. an get into their jeep. On the back of the jeep was written in soap "welcome back from Iraq!". After this I sort of sobbed at my table and just thought about meeting those soldiers. I lost my entire desire for food. Which is very odd, since it was 7 pm and I hadnt eaten since 5 pm of the previous day.
Looking back on it I loved the feeling. An Im going to miss the days when I can no longer walk up to soldiers and thank them for there service as a civilian, for ill be one of them amongst their ranks (4 more years of college). I Always feel completely at home and relaxed around soldiers. When I was 12 I could remember thinking of how soldiers always believe no one understands what they have gone through, an how they felt. However Ive always believed I was one of the few people in the world who could sort of understand the feelings they felt.
If the president shook my hand id always remember that the president shook my hand. If a soldier shook my hand id always remember I got to share a moment with a hero, some one who has experienced comrade ship at levels I can only hope to experience some day my self!
What do you guys think? An are their any 10th mountian division people in the audience?
Looking back on it I loved the feeling. An Im going to miss the days when I can no longer walk up to soldiers and thank them for there service as a civilian, for ill be one of them amongst their ranks (4 more years of college). I Always feel completely at home and relaxed around soldiers. When I was 12 I could remember thinking of how soldiers always believe no one understands what they have gone through, an how they felt. However Ive always believed I was one of the few people in the world who could sort of understand the feelings they felt.
If the president shook my hand id always remember that the president shook my hand. If a soldier shook my hand id always remember I got to share a moment with a hero, some one who has experienced comrade ship at levels I can only hope to experience some day my self!
What do you guys think? An are their any 10th mountian division people in the audience?
