War Sites

One of the days Seth and I were in Belgium, we went around to different WWI sites for a day. It was very moving to see so many headstones at a couple of different cemeteries. About a month before we left on our trip I read a book about the war in Iraq, The Long Road Home. It really made this war and war in general more personal to me. Until now I wasn't affected much by the war, I think mainly because I don't personally know anyone who is serving in the war. Reading The Long Road Home made me realize that there are real live people, who have actual lives at home, with husbands, wives, children, siblings, and parents worrying about them, serving in Iraq.

One thing that struck me hard while reading the names on the headstones at these cemeteries, were how young most soldiers were. They had barely started living their lives! A few months back, I was serving a table of about six young guys at work one day. It turns out five of them were going to Iraq in a week. I was amazed at how young they seemed.

I so admire these young men and women who voluntarily join the military. I hate this stupid war, but I totally look up to every person who is serving there and all the others who are here, but are more than willing to go to Iraq.

This kinda sounds like a bummer post, but it's not supposed to. Props to the troops!