Everything I am about to write is a true story about the 4th of July this weekend and
for each member who supports war to think about.
My profile shows that I am a wife of a combat VN vet who never does very well on
the 4th probably more than any other holiday. He will pretty much stay in our bedroom
and read, mostly the bible. We always go to see the fireworks however, for the kids.
The bombs bursting in air? This year was a little different. My husband will almost cry when he
hears the loud bomb like thunderous explostions in the sky, but he holds the hand of our little
ones
and points to the sky. This year it was our little 3 year old that we are raising that put her
hands over her ears and said, "I don't like it Mom." It's too loud. I'm afraid. She has been going
to the fireworks show since she was born but this year, getting out of the baby baby stage, She
actually listens to sounds and observes the sights in life.
We discovered she didn't like it. At all.
She said, " i don't like it. I don't like it. It makes me afraid. We brought her home and was
getting her ready for bed, she clung to me as a few firecrackers were still going off next
doot that sounded like gunshots. I mind wandered to the Middle East and every war we have
fought. I thought, My goodness, the children. Those precious children.
I thought of Shock and Awe and how the babies, the toddlers had no idea of the thunderous
sounds and the lights that lit up the sky. Only there was real danger. Those were not replicas
of bombs bursting in air, those were real bombs. As she clung to me tighter I sat her in my lap
and rocked her gently. I closed my eyes and sung a lullaby as she drifted off to sleep, making
a promise to her, if she didn't like that loud noise, we wouldn't go see any more fireworks till
she wanted to. I kept rocking and she laid silently to my breast. I heard my husband strumming
his guitar from the other room. It was a hymnal. I then thought of the soldier from past to
present. I thought of the pain the solider endures on return from war scarred forever with
startle reaction and PTSD. I thought of the thorn in their head they live with and especially
the reminder of destruction with bombs bursting in air and then looking over at the children
thinking.....we must leave war behind. I thought of the Iraqi Mother who could not tell her
child, there would be no more explosions in the air. I thought of the soldier who will become a veteran and cannot
hide from the horrors of the war and it will torment him or her throughtout
their lives. I thought of the argument of We have to fight there to keep from fighting here.
Does that make it right? No. Those children of Iraq are scarred for life. Those veterans
are scarred for life. Those veterans who have been diagnosed with PTSD will never again
enjoy but endure a fireworks show, and the children if they survive will be happy to hear
as our little three year old granddaughter said, "Peace and Quite". No thunder booms in the air.
War is a such a waste and I thought of the bible verse, What does it profit a man if he
gain the world and lose his soul?
No more War.
vetwife
