I thought it might be good to post a small piece of an email I sent to my brother-in-law about some of my thoughts on the war and being here. Hopefully you will be able to understand the context without having read the email I was responding to. So without futher ado... "I will have to agree with you that it seems the war here is a bit misdirected at the moment. Although I have to admit I have not found a way to either agree or disagree with an inanimate object. I'm feel confident that someone of your caliber could find a way to do it, if it could be done. As far as courage goes... There has never been a moment that I have felt myself quaking with fear of any kind, but I think it has far more to do with my pragmatic nature than any sort of personal courage. Sometimes I will be cruising down the road in an MRAP and we'll pass through an underpass or a stalled vehicle or some such danger and I will find my muscles tensing in anticipation of... I don't know, the unknown. But I have yet to prove my courage because I have yet to feel fear. What I do feel is that I am a man with a really good life who is wasting a year of it in a country which by rights shouldn't have a single living thing other than the occasional lizard. And worse I am forced to pretend to fight a fake war. Did you know we can't even have sovereign convoys anymore? Vehicles are allowed to pass us and even mix in our convoys. Of course, that's safe though... I mean who ever heard of a jihadist with a drivers liscense? Well, just fyi, if I do buy the farm here I'm sure that will be why. Also, I should tell you that I joined the army for the money, plain and simple, so there's really nothing noble or courageous going on here at all. Nonetheless, I really do appreciate your sentiment. It means a lot when people recognize that it is a really big sacrifice (whether or not one of choice)."
In order to keep this blog a lot shorter than normal I won't add much right now. I'm doing great as can be. Right now I'm waiting to leave on a mission that got pushed back a couple days. It gives me a bit of a break to catch up on some emails and letters that I need to write. Speaking of which, email is GREAT, but if any of you ever feel like actually writing me a letter, those are infinely more personal and I will certainly try to respond in like form. I also intend to post a few more pictures soon.
I hope everyone is great! Let me know sometime.
P.S. If you're planning to enter a boys name into our contest and you haven't already you might want to get on it at some point. Just a reminder :-).
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I think that you are being courageous, you are doing something that that very few men (in the big picture of America) get to experience. Even if it does feel like a waste that doesn't mean it its. You are serving and protecting me and our children, that is how I think of it. I'm not really involved with the politics but I am involved with the feelings that are going on during this year. It takes a lot of courage to leave your new family in the care of others and miss out on a whole year of your son's life AND the birth of your second child. Skipping out on these feelings might not be your choice now but it had to have been in your mind when you signed that paper before we met.
ReplyDeleteI have very little courage, even less when it doesn't involve my family, but I am so proud of you Michael, so very proud. Even if it seems not as romantic as your grandfather's war stories, and you might not even have to treat one wound while you are there, you are not giving in to depression or anger. Our life is on hold but you still know how to make me feel better when I'm sad, give me advise about everything, and support me from across this huge world. I love you very very much much Mr. Avery and I am your biggest fan. Thank you for serving and protecting me.
Hi Michael. To stand up for what you feel is right, and stand against what you feel is wrong takes courage and faith. We all have those decisions on a daily basis, but sometimes find ourselves in situations where these decisions are more difficult in our daily life....even with our own thoughts and things we decide to partake in. I think you are in a difficult enviornment and commend you for all the times you are refraining from things that are hurtful, and trying to do right!
ReplyDeleteI know it would be much nicer to be here with your lovely wife and special son than there, but God can use you there, too, (you can ask him if he would) and that's sure not a waste.
I am glad it has been uneventful, as far as violence. I hope that you are not involved in any violence, but if you are that you will have wisdom to know how to deal with it.