Golden Light and Dark Shadows

This morning is turning out to be a morning, of extraordinary emotions. Of late my morning drive coincides with that special time of day when the sun shines its golden glow over creation giving photographers that perfect light. A golden glow that bathes the earth making everything extra clear and seemingly perfect, the colors of the changing leaves on the mountains a patchwork of red, yellow, gold, and orange mixed intermittently with green. The occasional stick of a fully nude tree standing majestically amongst its still partially clothed brothers would draw my eye to it, as if it was saying, “Look at me, I’m free!” Add to that the combination of a CD not listened to often and the commute took on one of almost magical proportions.

That magic was shattered with the notification that my friend in Iraq lost 4 friends and comrades over the last week. His silence always implies that something big is or was happening and his silence since the 24th of October was no exception, however, his silence for this reason was not a welcome one. Danjel writes, “In a handful of days we lost four great men, COL William Wood, CPT Michael Mackinnon, CPT Ray Hill, and SPC Shakere Guy.”

"Good men must die, but death can not kill their names.” Anonymous Proverb

Good men indeed, and their names shall not be forgotten my friend for they were not afraid to live and fight for a just and noble cause. I’m finding it hard to express my sentiments when so much needs to be said, yet no words can adequately express the feelings and honor that these men imbued in their character. Words seem so inadequate for advertisers in New York and LA, have used them all up extolling the virtues of shampoo, cars, shoes and a thousand other products, that really deserve no such recognition. Words such as extraordinary, noble, courageous all seem proper but they pale in comparison to the men that they describe.

"Some people are so afraid do die that they never begin to live." Henry Van Dyke

It is safe to say that these men, your fellow soldiers and friends, were not afraid to live and they lived richly because they knew their cause was just and good. My thoughts and prayers are with you Danjel, the families of those that have gone on, and your family of men that protect us.