The Departure The sun, reflecting off the snow, was making it impossible for me to keep my eyes open. This was a long day for traveling, especially to Rapid City, and I knew it was coming. I was not prepared. It was the last day that I would see her for about a year. It was her first time, but she was ready for it, prepared and trained for what was to come. I had my blanket wrapped around my body and a pillow behind my back resting up against the door of the car. My father is driving, my mother in the passenger seat, and my brother in the passenger rear seat right across from me. I tried to be the one who would fall asleep, but for me that was impossible. The only thing I could do was grab a snack and wait till we arrived to the place of where I didn’t want to go. As we traveled three quarters across the state, we had seen historical landmarks, wild animals, cows, …show more content…
It was a late announcement, and everyone was appalled. We had excitement running through our bodies. We were on our way to see her again, finally, after 300 long …show more content…
It was the day before Christmas Eve and normal families would be wrapping last minute presents, but we were not. It was the same type of weather, cold and with the reflection from the sun to the snow. At last, the car stopped and was put in park. There was a ceremony for the soldiers where the governor, and other important people I don’t know the name of, were. It was about two hours later when I got to hug her, and tears dripped from my eyes like raindrops coming down from the clouds. You will never know if they will come back home once they leave for that certain purpose. You will never know when you gave them the last hug before they left, will be their last. Luckily for her, my sister, and the rest of her unit, they all came back safe and
The air was warm, the beams of sunlight shined on my skin, and the sweet laughter of my daughter came as she ran about. I could hear the bark of the neighbor’s dog in the distance, the scraping sound of a jogger's sneakers on the gravel sidewalk and I could smell the sweet aroma of the ripening peaches coming from the tree in our backyard. It was a brilliant summer day just like any other. My husband, Matthew, pulled in. Our daughter ran to him as he walked up the drive, “Daddy, Daddy,” she shouted as she wrapped her arms around him, embracing him with love. My husband sat beside me and began to speak. My heart began to beat slowly and erratically at first, my eyes began to burn in their sockets and a lump rose in my throat. The hair on my arms stood on end as my eyes began to fill with tears. “I got orders babe, I’m going to be shipped out in eight days.” These words my husband spoke would be the begging of a whole new life, a whole new fear. This day my life changed forever. On this day I learned my husband was going to be deployed.
I wasn’t even outside but I could feel the warm glow the sun was projecting all across the campsite. It seemed as if the first three days were gloomy and dreary, but when the sun on the fourth day arose, it washed away the heartache I had felt. I headed out of the trailer and went straight to the river. I walked to the edge, where my feet barely touched the icy water, and I felt a sense of tranquility emanate from the river. I felt as if the whole place had transformed and was back to being the place I loved the most. That day, when we went out on the boat, I went wakeboarding for the first time without my grandma. While I was up on the board and cutting through the wake of the boat, it didn’t feel like the boat was the one pulling and guiding me, it felt like the river was pushing and leading me. It was always nice to receive the reassurance from my grandma after wakeboarding, but this time I received it from my surroundings. The trees that were already three times the size of me, seemed to stand even taller as I glided past them on the river. The sun encouraged me with its brightness and warmth, and the River revitalized me with its powerful currents. The next three days passed by with ease, I no longer needed to reminisce of what my trips used to be like. Instead, I could be present in the moment, surrounded by the beautiful natural
My uncle is about to be deployed back into the Middle East, and while I know it is his job, I am afraid. I am afraid for what all the troops deployed around the world face. While, I choose to believe that most will return in one piece, no one really knows how hard it is to survive being a soldier. The mental and physical hardships faced by soldiers worldwide are unimaginable. The bombing of Syria, and the terrorist attacks today makes this world, a very dangerous time indeed. Even though, we may think life is tough, being a soldier is just as challenging. As a result I wanted to share this eye-opening poem as a way to show my gratitude and to spread awareness. Because, American veterans and active soldiers today have faced excruciating obstacles for our freedom and yet those who do get hurt are not helped. I personally would be livid if my uncle or my father did not get the help they deserve for serving our country and us. The freedom that America has is because of its soldiers and this poem expresses a side of war that I hold to be important to understand and to share.“Where Broken Soldiers Go” is a saddening poem about a man recounting his military
We all hugged one last time before jumping I could not believe that this would be the last time I would ever see my family. Dominique and I went to the edge of the Freight car and we counted down, “1...2...3!” As we jumped the only thing I could hear was the shot of a rifle and a short cry from Dominique. Once I got up from the frigid snow I looked to my left and saw the dead corpse of my brother Dominique. I broke down crying
I went to my room and sat there, unable to fall asleep. I still remember my window being half way open and hearing the wind chimes as the summer breeze rolled through the porch. I must have sat there for about fifteen minutes, but in my young mind I convinced myself that I had been there for hours. I walked outside with the anticipation of reeling in a large mouth bass on the edge of the pond. I walked up behind my dad and told the most common white lie in a young child’s life “I’m done with my nap”.
Standing on the balcony, I gazed at the darkened and starry sky above. Silence surrounded me as I took a glimpse at the deserted park before me. Memories bombarded my mind. As a young girl, the park was my favourite place to go. One cold winter’s night just like tonight as I looked upon the dark sky, I had decided to go for a walk. Wrapped up in my elegant scarlet red winter coat with gleaming black buttons descending down the front keeping away the winter chill. Wearing thick leggings as black as coal, leather boots lined with fur which kept my feet cozy.
Soon morning came, Jean woke me with a cup of coffee and a plan on where we were going start. We began on a trail straight off from her house. It was a cold and drowsy day, but I didn’t care. I wanted to get home as soon as
We had just stepped off the ferry and were waiting for the rest of our things to be put in the truck. We were finally here. A small island just off the coast of Oregon. My stepdad had received a job offer here as a marketing manager of some small company, which meant we had to move...again. This move broke the record of how many times we moved in a year.
Reflecting on it now I can see that my mother was a true soldier to go through all of the pain that she had to feel, but when she came home put a smile on her face to make sure that her children were still happy. The grace and dignity that she showed when she handled this demonstrated the true traits that she had, and the traits that she wanted us to grow up to have as well. She went through so much more to just minimize the pain that we were going to feel because she knew as such young children who looked up to their mother as a hero and an idol, that we would be in distraught if anything like this happened to her. The fear that she knew we would of had was going to be much greater than anything that we would have ever felt, and she didn’t want to scare us in this
The car was hot and stuffy when I slipped back into the driver's seat. I found the most depressing music I owned and drove out of Glenwood as the sun started to set. Two more hours until I was home, two more hours of thinking what a terrible day I had gone through, and two more hours of cussing myself for being so naïve. The drive was a long one.
The car was quiet, quiet with fear radiating from all directions. We continued down the neverending highway as we got closer every second, to our home for the next nine days. The wheels turned followed with a jerk of my head. I found myself in a half circle on the edge of perpetual woods. My nerves becoming unbearable, I opened the door soon to smell the nature flow into the car.
I am jarred out of a relaxing sleep by a voice yelling my name in a loud whisper, and a light burning through my eyelids. Groggily, I open my eyes to see my father standing in the doorway to my messy room. He tells me that I need to get going, that it is 3:00 a.m., and I'm burning daylight. I find my clothes and get dressed. The whole time I wonder why I get up this early to visit the rugged outdoors. I want to go back to bed, but I know my dad will be back in to make sure I am getting ready, in a little bit. Instead, I put my boots and my wide-brimmed, black cowboy hat on, and walked out to catch the horses. The horses are all excited because it is dark and they are not that cooperative. My dad and I get them saddled and in the trailer, and go back into the house to get our lunch, water, and a cup of coffee. Now, we can head for the high country.
It was a bright and warm summer morning when I woke from a good night sleep. Nothing prepared me for the dark, gloomy and sad day ahead of me. You see, this was the day that my cousin and childhood best friend passed away in an auto accident.
After a quick breakfast, I pulled some of my gear together and headed out. The car ride of two hours seemed only a few moments as I struggled to reinstate order in my chaotic consciousness and focus my mind on the day before me. My thoughts drifted to the indistinct shadows of my memory.
As I walked I let my eyes close and my feet feel the groove in the gravel. My mind, still asleep, dreamt of breathing. The lining of my father's old coat escaped inside the pockets and caught my fingers, which were numb from the cold. I would have worn gloves but the sun would be unbearable later in the day. The clouds would rise over the mountains and disappear and the birds would slowly become silent as the heat settled in. But for now it was just cold. I tried to warm my neck by breathing down the collar. It smelled like diesel and sweat.