a war hero

Tuesday I was blown away as I sat in Joanne's office surrounded by a room full of strangers minus my two moms and Kevin. Kevin spoke to the class of interns about his time in the military and lessons learned. I knew that whatever he was going to say would be powerful and well received. I had no idea how much it would effect me. He spoke of being lost and found, of being a man of 19 and being a world away from home, of being shot and of how unpopular the Vietnam war in which he served was among the Americans. It broke my heart to hear how after he had been in the hospital and had numerous surgeries, he was then spat on when he returned home. I cannot imagine all of the hardships endured by the veterans of this country. I sometimes feel like the sister in The Secret Lives of Bees that feels everyones pain/sorrow and becomes absolutely overcome by emotion and cannot stop crying. I was moved and did not feel worthy to be in the presence of a man that had laid down his life so unselfishly and responsibly to fight for his country. That does not feel untitled to anything. That is proud and would never consider himself a hero of any type. And yet every single person in that room, from the man next to me that was practically sobbing when Kevin recounted details of his service to the heads of the program would indeed call him that as would so many others. I hope to show my gratefulness in ways that I have not done in the past. I want to say thank you and I am sorry.