Things to be thankful for

November 25, 2004

There’s a lot to be thankful for, even in Baghdad.

I’m thankful it’s cooled down a bit, giving the days a distinct crispness that makes me think of October in Arkansas when the light has that auburn autumn hue.

I’m thankful for being in a place where people are real, where fear and happiness are shared openly, even among the most macho of infantrymen.

I’m thankful for inch-thick armor on humvee doors.

I’m thankful for people who take the time to write to me and the soldiers, just to share a kind word.

I’m even thankful for the not-so-kind words I receive. They are important, too. Why? Because it means people are exercising their freedom of speech so they can share what they think and feel.

I’m thankful for the laughter, whooping and hollering I hear outside my door right now from soldiers as they work out on a punching bag.

I’m thankful for all that I’ve learned about people, living among 4,200 infantrymen. We, as humans, are not as complicated as I once thought.

I’m thankful for those rare days when I don’t hear a gunshot.

I’m thankful that although my computer no longer has a “k” key, I can somehow still type the letter by hitting the blank spot on the keyboard.

I’m thankful for the funny moments as well as the scary moments, because they all meld together into the experience of war.

I’m thankful for the smell of sewage and piles of trash in this city, because it reminds me of how good my life is and what matters most.

And I’m thankful to be witness to it all.

Posted by Amy at November 25, 2004 11:55 AM