From childhood to adulthood, I have felt his breath upon my neck. I have lived with him longer than without. I have borne witness to his labors. I Continue Reading
death
Congratulations, Your Spouse Has Been Promoted to Casualty Affairs Officer
Veterans love readiness. They label cables, rotate supplies, memorize obscure acronyms, and keep enough batteries to power a minor coup. Some of them Continue Reading
Memorial Plaque: I Wanted Them to Remember and to Be Grateful
When it happened, I cannot recall. It just seemed to happen. I could not take it anymore, and I wanted the world to know. I wanted those passing by to Continue Reading
He’s Dead, Cue the ’90s Banger
By S.Q. Forthenauf I’ve never experienced death, at least, not in the sense of being alive, then not, followed by some extreme light, visions of Continue Reading
I Processed the Pain, Shed Tears, and Then… was at Peace
It was the unfortunately all too familiar call. The voice was almost unrecognizable in the fury of pain and confusion. This tone was only spoken in Continue Reading
The All Too Familiar
I felt the all too familiar back pain as I sat in the all too familiar uncomfortable seats. I sat staring at yet another flag-draped coffin. I watched Continue Reading
A Run of Remembrance
It’s 7:00 AM on a Sunday. We wait on a barren stretch of US-90, just east of Macclenny, Florida. A cold, drizzly rain numbs our fingers as we shiver Continue Reading
Burdens of Saving a Life
Whether its provenance is fact or fiction, I hold it true: “Save a life and you are responsible for it.” My life forever changed in Continue Reading
The Shaggy Dog
It comes from above and below.Nature. Death. The Shaggy Dog.Diogenes, what is our nature?The dog says it is the spirit of the soul.The spirit says it Continue Reading
The Fear
I smelled it, the first time.The stink of Fear, underscored by the whites of his eyesIn the dead of night, We Men sent to take him-His children Continue Reading
The Grief We Carry
This segment or installment is a departure from the story that I’m here to tell. It’s a story about something I’ve been carrying with me and that I’ve Continue Reading
One Step at a Time: Delayed-Onset PTSD
My terminally ill son brought back memories of the war in Afghanistan. For years, I kept quiet about my deployment and suppressed anything associated Continue Reading