I went to Sam’s. Saw an elderly black man wearing a “Retired Army” hat parked in the handicapped spot loading his car. I shouted to him, “Hey, Army! Thanks for your service! My son was an Army Ranger.” He walked over to me and asked, “Where’s your son?”
ME: He was killed in Afghanistan.
HIM: Thank you for your sacrifice.
I went on my merry way. He pulls his SUV up behind my car as I’m loading up my groceries. He gets out of his car and hugs me.
HIM: I’m so sorry for your loss. He hugs me again.
ME: I start crying.
HIM: I lost a buddy in 1968 in Vietnam, the pain never goes away.
ME: I sure wish it would.
He hugs me tight again. More tears.
ME: Thank you, we’re family.
Now folks, THAT’S AMERICA.
As he walked away, I ask, “Are you a Christian?”
HIM: Sure am.
As Americans, we have MORE in common—than less.
This first appeared in The Havok Journal on November 7, 2018.
Scoti Springfield Domeij is the proud Gold Star mom of 2/75 Army Ranger, Sgt. 1st Class Kristoffer Domeij, KIA on October 22, 2011 during his 14th deployment in Afghanistan. Kristoffer’s death inducted Scoti into the amazing military family and Ranger community. A civilian, Scoti is woefully ignorant of military protocol and acronyms.
She serves as Director of Springs Writers, is a solo-parenting columnist for Colorado Springs Kids, was editor/writer for nine publishers. She’s published in diverse publications including The New York Times, Southwest Art, School Daze, SAM Journal, and parenting magazines. She contributed stories to Violence of Action: The Untold Stories of the 75th Ranger Regiment in the War on Terror (Blackside Concepts), Love is a Verb Devotional and Heaven Touching Earth (Bethany House), Christmas Miracles (St. Martin’s Press), Extraordinary Answers to Prayer: In Times of Change (Guideposts), and The Mommy Diaries: Finding Yourself in the Daily Adventure (Revell).
A researchaholic, Scoti was Senior Research Assistant/Art Production Coordinator for the 27-part film series shot on location in Israel entitled That the World May Know. She interacted with top scholars, archeologists and museums while researching geography, seasons, feasts, culture, dress, facial ethnicity, machinery, furniture, weapons, wars, architecture, archeological discoveries, Roman culture and government, ancient religious beliefs, flora and fauna to conceptualize historically, archeologically and biblically-accurate art compositions used for over 200 art renderings and maps.
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