trailblazers

a thank you to all of those who are serving, have served and will serve in our armed forces on this veterans' day.

each footstep is a branding
in the walk of a war veteran.

each stone we pass
each wreath we lay
each emblem we bestow

marks the end of someone's story.

they all begin the same;
with a smile,
a commitment,
an inspiration.

they all end the same;
with the haunting of a heart,
the search for a shadow,
with a tear.

it is what happens in between
that determines how much we cry
how much we wish
how much we try to remember
how much we hope to forget.

it is what happens in between,
a battle
a sacrifice,
a miracle,

that forms the path.

each soldier's journey follows a map
the exposition ;
watching that plane crash into the twin towers,

the climax;
facing those bombers on the battlefield,

the falling action;
returning home with one less brother by your side,
one less son with whom to play catch,
one less bride to walk down the aisle,

until the final words are written.

for each solider's road we follow,
another dozen are left untraveled.

for each gesture we make that tries to honor these heroes
tries to capture this precious gift they've gvien us,
that has ensured we've been kept safe all these years,

for each veteran that comes home safely,
another is lost;
another becomes one to honor.

we never asked for protection.

we never expected these sacrfices to be made.

we never considered what life would be like without them.

this veteran's day
let's take a walk in their shoes.

let's follow their path,
with their feet.

let's forge our own.