Thirty

"30 lost, 30 unwanted visits, 30 doors receive that dreaded knock, 30 families with shattered hearts, 30 pairs of boots lined up with rifles and dog tags and helmets, 30 comrades remembered and grieved for, 30 funeral services, 30 names on newly made grave markers, 30 empty places at the table, 30 souls who gave all, whose lives leave a void, so let's take 30 seconds to re-post this and pause to reflect on such a sacrifice as 30 gone forever." (borrowed from a Facebook posting)

I dedicate this blog entry to the 30 American servicemen who lost their lives this past weekend in Afghanistan when their helicopter was shot out of the sky early Saturday morning. I felt compelled to honor these brave men and to commemorate their heroic sacrifice - these brave men, all who perished too soon. The news of the incident startled me back to reality and reminded me that this war is far from over and, unfortunately, has been far from my mind for a while. It's so easy to get complacent in life and to forget about things that are happening so far away from home. It's easy to forget because we're not surrounded by it every day. It's easy to take freedom for granted.

Upon hearing the news Saturday morning, my thoughts immediately went back to March 2005. It was 7:00 am on a work day and I had just gotten out of the shower. My cell phone rang, it was my Mom. She had just heard on the news that a close friend of mine from high school, Brett Hershey - a National Guardsmen deployed in Afghanistan - had been killed by a road side bomb. It stunned me. My veins felt as if ice water was pulsing through them. And that's when it hit home for me. I purchased a copy of Michael Morris's book Live Like You Were Dying (inspired by Tim McGraw's song) for every member of my family and my closest friends. Given the title, the book is pretty self explanatory and needless to say, inspiring. My new mantra became "you only live once" and I continue to live by those four little words every day.

It shouldn't take tragedies like this to make one realize how valuable life is, but it does. But maybe that's the point. In honor of the 30 fallen servicemen, take a moment to reflect on your own life, your family, your friends, your freedom. Be thankful you are here today - you only live once so make each day great.