Nearly every day I am moved to tears by the power of voice on Critt Jarvis's blog for his son Philip who is in Iraq. What if 20% of families with sons and daughters in the military did this? Would we be less bombastic as citizens - cheering on the military as if we were watching a sport? Maybe we could see that we have to be very careful to commit our soldiers. I am not saying that there is no cause for war. I am saying let's not act without true consideration. I have heard that not a member of Congress has a child in the military today - what an indictment for a country that has a tradition of citizen soldiers.
Here is a post from today
Last night, as I was working on the checklist for Camp Lancer Weblog, I received this brief note from Tom Barnett:
My Dad is going to leave in the next few hours, and I am going to miss him very much. He raised and supported seven children into adulthood, losing two in their very early years. He was an enormously patient man, full of humility.He always went out of his way to help others, and never sought credit for himself. He was terribly shy in his personality, but somehow endeavored all his years to befriend others and to engage in the sort of small talk that left those around him always feeling better about themselves. He taught me many things along the way: how to catch a football, how to think ahead, and how to get through difficult moments with faith. I feel very fortunate to have known this man for 41 years. I would have taken more, but this was more than most receive, and for that I thank both him and God. He will always remain to me the man I hope someday to be.
To Tom and John Aleksander,
I never met your fathers,
But their blood runs through our instrument
And their song is in our soul.
And they leave us a legacy
We continue to imagine.
This world can be whole.
~ Critt
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