Friday, July 11, 2008

How do you cope?

I came across an incredible story this morning. Without giving away the whole story (you can read it for yourself) it is about a dad coping with the death of his son in Iraq. The dad is now going to Iraq himself having signed up for the military once more and volunteering to go to Iraq. What do you do when you are a 44 year old man and you lose your only son? How do you honor his memory? How do you cope with his loss? I honestly don't know what I would do in his situation. I respect him for choosing the path he did (despite the breaking of a promise in doing so). The article points out an interesting tidbit: "The whole reason he joined the military was out of his conviction that — wrong war or not — he could do something to keep another young man alive." He has the hope that he could possibly spare some family the trauma that his has faced. Support of country, support of military, support of families; all of this despite opposition to the war itself. I do not know Francisco Martinez but I have the utmost respect for him. I pray that he does indeed save some young men and women from the cruel hand of death and that his actions help reunite families back in America. It is a bold way to cope with the loss of a son, and it is honorable beyond belief.

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