Family

Not much going on today. Friday has become a day of rest after five days of hard training. Going through the newspaper today I had couple of thoughts.

But first the latest from the NY Times. Fourteen US soldiers dead in two days of suicide bombings in Iraq. The murder rate in Oakland is going up, and no one can figure out why. A school crossing guard in Pennsylvania charged with 1,000 counts of child molestation. Organized crime is on the rise in Nairobi, Kenya. The bill to raise mileage requirements for US car makers will most likely get vetoed. It goes on and on.

OK, here are my two counter balancing thoughts. It is vital, as Americans, that we keep informed on current events. “The price of freedom is eternal vigilance.” – Thomas Jefferson. But keeping myself informed, being a good citizen in a democratic society, depresses the hell out of me. Every time I hear about 14 dead in Iraq, or even 1 for that matter, I think about the families that just got irrevocably damaged and will never be completely whole again. It’s devastating.

For me, the key is to think of my family and the people that are important to me. They are what keep me going. I want to cherish every moment with them. They are what is good in my life and everyday with them is a gift.