The Best Things in Life are Free.

THE BEST THINGS IN LIFE ARE FREE.

Family! Friends! Love! Trust!

It sometimes takes effort, but it doesn’t cost a thing!

Our Military Boys

The average age of the military man is 19 years. He is a short haired, tight-muscled kid who, under normal circumstances is considered by society as half man, half boy. Not yet dry behind the ears, not old enough to buy a beer, but old enough to die for his country. He never really cared much for work and he would rather wax his own car than wash his father’s, but he has never collected unemployment either.

He’s a recent High School graduate; he was probably an average student, pursued some form of sport activities, drives a ten year old jalopy, and has a steady girlfriend that either broke up with him when he left, or swears to be waiting when he returns from half a world away. He listens to rock and roll or hip-hop or rap or jazz or swing and a 155mm howitzer. He is 10 or 15 pounds lighter now than when he was at home because he is working or fighting from before dawn to well after dusk.

He has trouble spelling, thus letter writing is a pain for him, but he can field strip a rifle in 30 seconds and reassemble it in less time in the dark. He can recite to you the nomenclature of a machine gun or grenade launcher and use either one effectively if he must. He digs foxholes and latrines and can apply first aid like a professional. He can march until he is told to stop, or stop until he is told to march. He obeys orders instantly and without hesitation, but he is not without spirit or individual dignity.

He is self-sufficient. He has two sets of fatigues: he washes one and wears the other. He keeps his canteens full and his feet dry. He sometimes forgets to brush his teeth, but never to clean his rifle. He can cook his own meals, mend his own clothes, and fix his own hurts. If you’re thirsty, he’ll share his water with you; if you are hungry, his food. He’ll even split his ammunition with you in the midst of battle when you run low. He has learned to use his hands like weapons and weapons like they were his hands. He can save your life – or take it, because that is his job.

He will often do twice the work of a civilian, draw half the pay, and still find ironic humor in it all. He has seen more suffering and death than he should have in his short lifetime. He has wept in public and in private, for friends who have fallen in combat and is unashamed.. He feels every note of the National Anthem vibrate through his body while at rigid attention, while tempering the burning desire to ‘square-away ‘ those around him who haven’t bothered to stand, remove their hat, or even stop talking. In an odd twist, day in and day out, far from home, he defends their right to be disrespectful. Just as did his Father, Grandfather, and Great-grandfather, he is paying the price for our freedom.

Beardless or not, he is not a boy. He is the American Fighting Man that has kept this country free for over 200 years. He has asked nothing in return, except our friendship and understanding. Remember him, always, for he has earned our respect and admiration with his blood.

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You guys are amazing.
Thank You.

xoxo

Paige

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Stereotype Be

So, I met this guy today in the parking lot at Dominicks. He was tall, dressed in a light colored striped suit and slacks. I’m not one to just go and talk to random people at the supermarket. But you feel obligated to, after a slight collision.

I was carefully parking the truck, and on the other side, he was backing out. The sun was pretty low at this point, just low enough to blind a person for a few seconds at a time. This is why he backed into me. When he and I heard the collision, we parked and got out of our vehicles. I noticed he was driving somewhat of a new Hyundai, and I thought oh boy this could get ugly… I smiled and said “How’s your car!?” Right away he started to explain to me that as he was backing out, the glare of the sun got in his eyes, and how he was blinded for a moment and could not see. Then he went on to apologize, and told me how he should have checked for clearance once more. Just short of shocked, I laughed and told him my truck is alright, and it’s pretty beat up, another hit wont hurt, and again I asked about his car, the small dent he had just accumulated, and if there was anything I could do. He smiled, told me that it was no problem, and asked one more time if my truck was okay and if there was anything that needed to be taken care of. Again, I assured him it was alright. Then he said “Well ma’am if you’re good to go, than I’m good to go too.” Okay, now I was in shock!

No insurance, no exchange of numbers, plates, nothing but our first names and a hand shake, to be courteous. Just when you think the world is coming to a drastic end with all these crazies, these mindless business people, and these careless teenagers, none of which could care less about anybody but themselves, you meet someone different. Someone who cares about somebody other than themself!

This guy was in a suit and slacks, driving a fairly new–and beautiful I might add–Hyundai, dark blue with silver trim, and chrome rims. Anybody out there would stereotype a guy like this to be a stuck up jerk who thinks he has it all together, when in reality, he was the nicest man I’ve met out here in the strange town!

I wish I could decyfer an angel from a really really nice man in a suit…

Get to know that stranger, they just might know a thing or two!

WOW!

The feeling of talking to someone who sincerely cares is so refreshing!
It’s not like your daily meaningless conversation, it has… pizzaz!

There are those I grew close to, those I called best friends, and those I would call aquaintences. The ones I really, truely admire, are the ones I met once or twice, who I never really knew too well. The few that people categorize as ‘weird’ or ‘quiet,’ ‘shy’ or ‘intimidating.’ The ‘band geeks,’ or ‘theater weirdos.’ Have you ever taken your time to talk to or get to know them? They are outstanding. I think it’s because they don’t try for their lives to fit in with the rest of their peers. The way I see it, they are as normal as anyone else on the planet, only, more appealing, because they’re original! They’re the ones who add the spice to life!