Saturday, January 14, 2012

Love From Virginia

Now that the war in Iraq is over, I have thought about changing the title of this blog.But that would be wrong, for that is how this blog began.
It is more than my husband's last two deployments. It is the blog of our life as an Army Reservist family. Of life during the progress of predeployment, deployment and post-deployment. It is our lives when Mark returns home and has to return to every day life.

Mark's last deployment ended 15 months ago. In that time Mark has gone through the Wounded Warrior Program, caring for a sick friend, several knocks to our marriage, illness, and umemployment. Mark is amoung those Veterans who has been looking for work.
He did have one job that was contracted for six weeks. But it did little to get us back on our feet.
It is a daunting task to remain hopeful for 15 months of job searching and nothing. There has been several calls to hire Vets, but few are taking up the challenge.
Like so many, we too face losing our home, and we pray for G-d to step on our behalf. But not just us. For as I watch other miliarty families struggle with losing their homes, going on food stamps and worse, marriages breaking up under the strain.  I don't write this for pity, just stating hard facts.
It is hard to face twelve months of being in a warzone, away from home and loved ones, to fight for one's counrty and freedom, only to come home and find, you can't find a job or being tossed out of your home.
It is times like these we cling to the G-d of Abraham, Issac and Yacob. We hold onto our faith and we pray for each other. We helpe each other.
I pray for all of my fellow americans who are one paycheck away from being homeless. For those who need to find a job or create some means of earning an income to support themselves and care for their familes.
I remember when I was still doing private duty, caring for older folks who lived through the Great Depression. So many of my former patients would take me of how they came together as neighours, helping each other out. It was a time we as a nation learned to make do and to believe these hard times would not last forever.
I chose to believe that now. I chose to believe that our nation will not forget those who have served. I chose to believe that we as a people will continue to reach out our hands to each other.
I chose to continue believe in the goodness of America and her people.

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