There are few things on which I agree with President Obama. For one, we both think there should be play-offs in college football. Another was his call to make September 11th a day of service as well as remembrance. He probably didn't mean it as much in a military sense as I have taken it, but what greater act of service can there be to your country than to protect it? I haven't blogged in a long time and I haven't been writing much either because my life has been so busy--mostly good busy. But last night as I was lying awake in bed, I decided that I wanted to blog about today. I originally thought about telling my 9/11/01 story. I decided that there was plenty of time for that later when, instead of asking about the assassination of JFK, my children come running home from school with an assignment to find out where their parents were on Sept. 11th. I woke up with the urge to talk about the feelings that day inspired in America and my hope that they would again be renewed without the prompting of such a tragedy. As I tuned in to my usual NPR podcast this morning, I heard the words of the President and was impressed that we had shared similar feelings. His speech at the moment of silence this morning was good and I urge you to listen atleast to the highlights on NPR.
As I prepare to marry my best friend over the holidays, I have been overwhelmed with a feeling of pride, security, and patriotism that is hard for me to explain. I never thought I would marry into the military. I never thought I'd be an army wife and have army brats. I never thought I'd have a yellow ribbon outside my house or on my car, but I will. When Garrett and I first started dating, his obligation to and interest in the military was an issue I struggled with. I knew I had to decide if he was worth everything that comes along with being in the army before I fell in love with him. I prayed and went to the temple. I talked to my parents for hours about it. I really struggled with it for a few weeks, all the time falling harder and harder for him. I knew I respected him for it and I knew what he was doing was a great thing, but--to paraphrase Garrett--it's something I always thought someone else's future husband would do.
Then, I thought back to September 11, 2001. I thought about how I had always been raised to respect the military and to be grateful for what they did. I'm ashamed to say that up until this day eight years ago, I only thought of the military in terms of the past--never in terms of the present. I respected those who had served even unwillingly in Korea and Vietnam. I knew people who were in the JROTC and had friends whose parents were in the military, I had the greatest sense of gratitude and reverence for those who had fought in WWII. I had no sense of what the military was doing for me in 2001 other than some abstract ideas about peace in the Middle East.
Then, when I was 15 years old and our whole world changed, I remember discussions on the draft, World War III, suddenly the soldiers were on TV all the time. I went to a concert to benefit the families of fallen soldiers in Iraq. Yellow ribbons and American flags were everywhere and people were so proud of our troops. Prayers came out in public again. People were talking about God. My dad wasn't the only one I saw clapping for soldiers and thanking them for their service to our country. Slowly that has died in the public faces of America. It isn't posh or P.C. to support the war on terrorism or the brave men and women who volunteer to protect us, our families, and our freedoms.
So my house is one of the few that still flies a flag and my dad is that one obnoxious guy who sees a unit in the airport and chases them down to shake their hands and thank them. And a few weeks into dating Garrett I decided that he was worth all the hard things that come along with marrying someone who is in the armed forces--if we ever decided that marriage was what we wanted. But here I am a few months away from what will be one of the most wonderful days of my life and I'm here to tell you that Garrett isn't just worth all the hardships that will come--he is the wonderful man that I love BECAUSE of his commitment to the military. The same things that made him irresistable to me--his loyalty, gentelmanly behavior, strength, honor, bravery, and unselfishness--are the same things that will make him a good officer and soldier and being in the army bring out those parts of his personality in a special way. Oh, I'll still love him when he's not in the army and I would love him if he had never even thought of joining. The point I'm trying and failing to make is that I'm proud of him. I'm proud of his patriotism and willingness to sacrifice to keep us all safe. I'm proud of his interest in international affairs. I'm grateful to him for once again, around this day of service and remembrance, for reminding me of my own patriotism and gratitude for the service and sacrifice of others. So, thank you for your service David Garrett Swenson. Thank you to all the troops past, present, and future for your service to our country. Thank you to all the mothers, fathers, wives, husbands, and children of all of our troops for your often-forgotten and underestimated sacrifice and service at home. God bless our troops and God Bless America.
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