I am a soldier. My blood permeates the soil of many
countries.
I have gasped my last breath on many a desolate stretch of
beach. For you…all of you, the children who play in the
parks, the
mothers who watch over them,
the fathers who struggle to sustain them.
There are those here who have belittled and reviled me, who
have made
a mockery of me and what I stand for. You, also, have I
suffered and
died for. I withstood heat, insects and disease so the
right to
dissent would be yours.
I endured the pain and terror of battle and the maiming of
my body to
ensure that you might worship as you please. I died in
agony in order
that you, no matter who or what you are, have the freedom
to choose
your own destinies.
AND I WOULD DO IT AGAIN. Because I believe in the ideals
that made
this country what it is today… FREE. I love her with a deep
and
abiding love that transcends mere physical pain.
I AM A SOLDIER. Pray that I will always be there, for if I
disappear from this country, so will you.
Anonymous