Freedom Celebration

 Today my family's church hosted what they call "Freedom Celebration Sunday".  All the music and messages are dedicated to thanking God for our freedom and honoring our servicemen and women in armed and civil service. 

Listening to the songs played for each branch of the military and watching the members stand and be recognized has always tugged at my heart.  I remember at a different church in 2005 on the 4th of July after my grandfather died, I couldn't hold back tears thinking of the service he'd given during World War II and how much I wished I'd known him better.

This year brought tears to my eyes for a soldier who is still living.

This is my friend Jeff.  He is a member of a New York infantry company (can't remember numbers and battalion names at the moment)  and is currently stationed in Afghanistan.  In May of 2009 Jeff called me from an army recruitment office, asking if I would be one of his references for enlistment.  I said yes as my heart sank and my stomach turned, knowing that a piece of our lives was changing forever. 

Our mothers were best friends.  His mother died at his birth, and our lives have been linked through friendship and family ever since.  We were each other's first crush, pen pal, and secret-keeper.  Jeff means as much to me a blood brother.  I am incredibly proud of him, but I can't wait for the day he is safe with us again.

~edit~ I shared the link to this post on Jef'f's Facebook wall, and this was his response:

"I read your post and the info on the sidebar of your blog. I liked it and I'll have to read your other entries. Everything you said about our friendship was true. Even though we don't communicate half as often as I would wish, you are and will always be one of my oldest and dearest friends.

If you ever find yourself with any need that I can meet in any way, you have only to ask and neither rain, nor wind, nor snow, nor distance, nor even deployment shall stop me from getting you squared away. I love you and I hope you're doing great. I'll have to call sometime so we can catch up. Its been too long since last time.

I'm in the 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry) 1-87 Battalion, D Company, 3rd Platoon, by the way."

 

That made my day. :-D