warriors

have you ever seen a native american warrior, in full regalia, dancing, praying, feather fan extended, face painted, silver flickering in the sun. it is an awesome sight.

i've spent the better part of last week watching movies (i've been sick, this is not a luxury i allow myself every week).

band of brothers is a HBO collection of shorts that are the stories of 101st Airborne Division, Easy Company in WWII. the paratroopers jumped through gunfire and peril right into the fray of battle. many didn't survive the jump. at one point in the stories, someone says, "you'll be surrounded." and capt. winters replies, "we're paratroopers, we should be." wow. that is heroism. that is selflessness. and we think not driving an SUV is so commendable.

i was touched and saddened by the horrors of war (which i do not know, a movie pales in comparison, that i do know). i was captivated by the courage of the brothers who fought and died for each other, trying to keep each other alive. forget about freedom, forget about America, those are all grand and noble things, but warriors fight the battle for their brother--whatever his color, wherever he comes from.

when i was tired, i turned it off. i padded off to my nice warm bed, and slept in peace. my mind kept returning to the easy company in bastogne, freezing from lack of winter clothing, grappling with the terror of war. and of course they didn't need to be rescued by Patton, but i was glad to know some of those brave souls made it home alive.

it struck me, as i was watching, we have men and women fighting battles--very real battles today, tonight, around the globe. we know nothing of their sacrifice and besetting fear, we don't even know the reasons for their deployment in some cases.

regardless of how you vote, if you are living in this country, our men and women need support. let the bureaucrats fight. let the media say what it will about who's to blame for things that go wrong. each and every soldier, and veteran, deserves a great deal of thanks and praise.

i want to go up to uniformed servicemen and women when i see them, but i don't. i get these pangs of self-consciousness at times. but i must remember, the sacrifice made on my behalf and say a kind word. it is the least i can do. it is the least we can do, let's thank them for their sacrifice. they are, after all, fighting on our behalf. what brave souls.