Thanks to a Marine
Susan
Did you ever notice something about the truth?
I think that the older a truth gets,
The bigger it gets.
It grows with power and might.
The truth that you defended your country,
That you fought back.
The truth that you left your home and your brother and sisters,
Gets bigger and bigger each year ,
Each flag,
Each Amazing Grace,
Each echo of Taps,
Each rendition of the National Anthem.
The truth becomes mighty and fierce.
The truth of my freedom,
The truth that you are a hero,
The truth that you survived,
The truth of the 4th Marine Division.
The truth that Iwo Jima was the bloodiest island battle of the war.
The truth of the ghosts,
The staggering casualty rate,
The Higgins,
The black sand,
The floating comrades,
The explosions,
The stench,
The truth of the ghosts had to get bigger, too.
And when something gets as big as the truth of your service,
You can't push it away.
You can't ignore it.
It has to come out.
The truth of your truth is that you allowed others in.
You allowed your pride to be a part of your youngest daughter's self respect and confidence.
You allowed your strength and compassion to be part of another daughter's career.
You allowed your determination and persistence to shine in the life of sill another daughter.
And perhaps the greatest truth that you have allowed out,
Is your fight and courage that you have allowed to be part of your oldest child's current battle against a brain tumor that will take her life.
A funny thing about truths, the older they get, the bigger they get.
The wicked and the wise.
Thanks Marine, for sharing your truths.
