This morning as I drove to work I thought about why I wore purple. It isn’t to make a statement about anyone’s sexual preference. It is for the same reason that I stood with friends last night for an hour and half while waiting for a St. Charles graduate return home. He was 18, had been in Iraq for 4 days when he lost his life. The funeral home he was on his way to was about a mile from where I stood with my friends. We were not there for anything personal. I had never met the man. My friend knew both he and his family, and when she asked me to stand with her, I hesitated briefly. I mean I had JUST walked in the door; Dom had been in the kitchen all day. Then I thought about the sacrifice this man had just made for ME, gave myself a mental kick in the butt and started getting ready to go.
So we stood in the cold last night. People pulled over and asked what we were doing. When we told them, some stopped and joined us. No one left even though it was an hour and half longer than we anticipated. As the motorcycle riders, police and military escorts passed, I thought about the other young lives we’ve recently lost.
So I wore purple today. Because EVERY life counts. When we lose one, a part of all of us dies. Maybe people will ask why I am wearing it, and when I tell them , will stand with me symbolically. And when I work out this week, it will be with a feeling of gratitude. For the blessing of this thing called life, and being able to participate in it. And MAYBE help one person along the way find THEIR way.
Make today count.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
:-)
ReplyDeleteCarpe Diem brother. And thank you for your service.
ReplyDeletecorrection:
ReplyDelete-- The Department of Defense has announced the deaths of four Camp Pendleton-based Marines who died in combat this week in Afghanistan.
The department says the four were killed Wednesday in Helmand Province. They have been identified as 22-year-old Cpl. Justin J. Cain of Manitowoc, Wisconsin, 20-year-old Pfc. Victor A. Dew of Granite Bay, California, 21-year-old Lance Cpl. Joseph E. Rodewald of Albany, Oregon, and 19-year-old Lance Cpl. Phillip D. Vinnedge of Saint Charles, Missouri.
Vinnedge was a graduate of Francis Howell Central High School. He was only in Afghanistan for 16 days before his death.
In a statement released Friday by Vinnedge's family, he was called a "fun loving and generous man" who knew since 9/11 that he wanted to join the military so he could make a difference in the world."
All four Marines were assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force.