Road Entry

I am writing this entry from the front of a coach bus as we travel the long road home from Fort McCoy. Before this moment the return home didn’t hit me. Most others were feeling joy and excitement where I just felt numb. I figured I just wasn’t going to feel anything until I was able to finally relax at home in civilian attire. However, as I look out the window and see all the townsfolk welcoming us home I cannot help but feel overwhelming joy. This is the kind of joy that brings tears to the eyes. As I type I am fighting the tears pretty heavily. It feels like we have done a great service to our country and I actually now feel that I have contributed to the freedom of each person we pass by. We each wave and each smile it grows harder to hold it in. While over there I didn’t feel like I was doing much for the country itself. I can tell I am not the only one feeling heightened feelings. The jokers are cracking jokes left and right as that is their way to lighten the mode so they don’t have to face the realism of the event. Before we started seeing mass amounts of people they were all quiet but as soon as their eyes met ours their voices became louder. I wonder how hard these emotions are going to be to contain when I am standing face to face with the loved ones waiting for me. I think the reason it hits me so hard is because this is the second moment that I really felt human kindness and the first one changed me so much. I think this will be my most memorable birthday for a long time.

April 2nd, 2010