I just returned from a trip to Walter Reed. I went over to visit a young marine who lost both legs in Iraq. He has multiple injuries and faces uncountable suregeries. It is amazing that he is still alive, the doctor's didn't think he stood a chance. And yet, somehow, he made it and he seems to be getting better, though he still has regular setbacks.
This is the first time I have met him. Some friends of mine are best friends with his folks and they are up here for the week, so they invited us over.
We didn't get into any really deep conversations, but this young marine impressed me with his attitude. We spent about an hour with him. I think we connected pretty well. He does not appear to be at all down, in fact he is making plans for the future. He hopes to go to law school when able. I had to think of myself and how down I get and yet how much more he has in his life that could depress him. He has never wished that they had let him die. He seems to know that he's on this earth for a purpose and he's content with that. His faith has not faltered throughout this whole ordeal. Just about every assumption he ever made about his future changed in a second. He'll no longer run when he's in a hurry, or water ski. He can't play his guitar unless they can do some corrective surgery for his hand mobility. I'm just amazed by his resiliency.
1 comment:
I had the opportunity to go to Walter Reed once with one of my former bosses, who was visiting some injured soldiers from Alabama. It was an absolutely remarkable experience; I didn't do much talking, since they were more interested in talking to a congressman than they were to me, but to a person they were all extremely resilient and talking about what they would be doing in the next phase of their lives after Walter Reed. It was a powerful experience, and one I won't soon forget.
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