When leaving Texas Steakhouse in Staunton tonight with Alex and SWAC Daughter, Alex saw a friend from high school walking across the parking lot. He lowered his voice and said, "That's a friend from school. He just returned from Iraq."
The young man was in jeans and T-shirt ... tanned, in shape, with a Marine haircut ... and was with his girlfriend. He and Alex brightened up as they saw each other and they shook hands and hugged. I laughed and joked, "I take it you two know each other?"
Alex introduced us and said, again, that his friend had just returned from Iraq. I shook hands with the young man and thanked him for his service and that we truly appreciated it.
He smiled and thanked me, and then, as the five of us stood together, he told us about Iraq ... they delivered water and food throughout Ramadi ... they trained Iraqi police and military ... it was peaceful. That last part particularly struck me: "It was peaceful."
Do we ever hear about it being "peaceful" in Iraq through the mainstream media? This young 22-year-old man had just completed his second deployment and was very optimistic about the future of Iraq ... and said it was peaceful.
His unit had lost one Marine while there. A shadow of sadness cross his face as he spoke of it.
And then he brightened again and spoke more about all the good in Iraq. And then he and Alex shook hands to say their farewells ... and the young Marine walked over and hugged me.
I was honored.
May God bless that young man. Semper Fi.
No comments:
Post a Comment