After almost six months in Iraq my youngest daughter came home on leave from the Army to Nebraska. We spent the days talking of her fellow soldiers and the pets they adopted (a nest of Falcons on their base which provided entertainment for the soldiers). When it came time for her to return in June 2006 we drove her to Denver International Airport and the airline gave us a temporary pass to go through security with her to her boarding gate. She was in her uniform and as we sat I noticed some others glancing out of the corner of their eyes. When it came time for her to get in line to board we stood next to her to say our goodbyes. My wife had been strong but finally started tearing up which was contagious. Next my daughter started crying. I tried not to cry but then a tear betrayed me and many more followed. She boarded the plane and I looked behind me and other passengers in line were crying. They came over to us and cried with us saying they couldn't imagine what it was like to say goodbye to their grown children going off to Iraq. I thought it was a special story unto itself until yesterday when she told me the rest of the story. It seems as she entered the plane the crew also noticed her crying in uniform. After the plane was at cruising altitude the pilot came back and talked to her to see if he could help. She told him that she was going back to Ramadi Iraq and that she loved her folks and missed them already. The pilot spent time talking to her of his own flying time over Bagdad and it helped. Compassion is a great gift and anyone can give it if it is in their heart to do so. We all have a light that we can shine on someone who needs a ray of hope.      

Thanks so much for sharing that story. And thanks to your daughter for her service!

It's so true: if we could all find more compassion for others (myself included!) we'd be much happier ourselves.

Jenifer

I agree, we all need to use compassion more.  Thank you door and tell your daughter Thanks from us.

Thank you for giving your daughter for a while. What a wonderful Reader's Digest style story. I started crying again reading this after reading the other post about meeting a soldier. Please tell your daughter thank you.

By the way, the title of the post made me wonder if your daughter and your soldier got together. LOL

Take care,

momof6 

Wow.

I hope we are as strong as you when our daughter deploys to Baghdad soon.

I do hope your Warrior Daughter is on our site, so she and her folks know how much they are appreciated.

How ironic - our grandson, a young man not yet through college, learning to be a lay speaker, (newly charged with being a supervisor at that famous coffee shop) just presented a lesson at our worship service this morning on what else - "Compassion" that he had had a good practical lesson in on his job just this past month, how we should take the time out of our busy lives to listen and give to those who are hurting.

Gran

Thank you ladies for hooking me up.  I'm way behind on all these things, but I'll catch up.

Mary

Door,

I would also like to express my thanks to your daughter and your family, please pass along THANK YOU from us and let her know that she and her service are appreciated.

Sister Barbara

<Sniff>, one thing about this web site.

You must have enough tissues at all times, what a story...

My wife had been strong but finally started tearing up which was contagious.

Indeed.  Have tissue, will cry! (And hubby, too)!

Pat

Definitely. I always find myself running for more tissues!!

Door, our deepest gratitude to your family and your wonderful daughter!! Please do make sure she knows that there's an unbelievably large number of peopl she'll never meet who all are sending her hugs and support!!

Reta