Heroes

HEROES


Once upon a time in a country far away there lived a young man. He lived with his loving family and went to school. He had everything he needed and even some of what he wanted. In his family were heroes of a terrible world war that ended long ago. So when this young man was called to go to war by this great country, he went, no questions asked just like the family men before him to do his duty and honor his country and kin.

This war was different from other wars; the men who went there were younger, some of them didn’t want to go, for others, their reasons for going were different and some didn’t have to go, and some ran away. The people of this country didn’t hold the same regard for life as the young man’s country did. They would send young children to their death for a cause they didn’t even understand yet. So these young men had to hurt young children and women to save their own lives.

When the young man was hurt enough his leaders sent him home and let him out of the army. They didn’t help him go back to the person he was before the war. He was kind and loving, a good son as best he could. He was a trained warrior now seasoned in blood, fear and the carnage of war. His mind became twisted in the ways of a warrior his feelings were gone. The country became greatly divided about the war and some took their anger out on these warriors. They burned the great red white and blue flag and spit on the men and called them crazy, and baby killers. He became confused and tortured in his mind for what he had to do to stay alive and also all that happened to him. In his mind he felt great guilt for leaving his friends in the jungle when he left. He felt guilt for the ones that died and were hurt. He felt guilt for the ones he hurt and killed. He wanted to be a hero like the men in his family but that didn’t happen. No great medals were given him for courage, no stars, no stripes just three purple hearts for his wounds and a personal palm for courage from the country he fought in. He wanted to be thanked for his service, maybe a little parade and a free beer or two. No! No! No!…. None of this happened instead he was made to feel like dirt, like he was bad, that what he did was bad and in his mind he was confused and became angry at his country and hated what he once loved so dearly, but he took it all out on himself not the country, and tried to hurt himself. This caused him great pain and suffering for many years and still he cries when he thinks of all of this.

Many years have passed since the war ended and the young man now is passing in years but still his heart is not at rest. He yearns to go back and fix what happened so long ago to make it right, but he can’t do that and it still burns in his heart. He wanted to be a hero, a proud warrior for his country just like his uncles, to wear his medals and strut about showing his metal like they did.

There is another war now the people of this world have not learned to live in peace yet so young men must go and fight. This war is different but still they go and fight and die. The great country has learned now what they did before was wrong, now they treat the warriors like they should and they come home as great heroes as so they are.

This has helped the man and eased his aching heart some, maybe he too can now be thought of as a hero, even in his own mind.

GOD BLESS THE USA...