When A Soldier Cries

I was at the airport this week sitting behind my booth when I noticed a young couple walk by. They were walking very slow and she was holding onto his arm with a death grip. He was in civilian clothes and she was a soldier. They went down to Delta got his ticket and came back and sat with their backs to me across from my booth. About a half an hour later I saw them standing, hugging. Her face was buried against his chest and I could hear her crying. I felt so bad for her, but then I noticed all the people walking by and staring. I mean they were very obvious in doing so too. Almost walking into things because they were looking so hard. It made me so angry. Even though this couple was in the middle of the airport they didn't have to stare like this. I just wanted to yell at them to stop! "Stop staring! Haven't you ever seen people saying goodbye?! How would like it if your pain was made into spectacle?" Then i wondered if this young woman wasn't wearing the uniform would they have reacted the same? Or was the wearing of US Army uniform a reason to be gawked at? How sad such a painful thing was anything but private. I don't know why it bothers me so bad..maybe it's all the faces I see when i send them off. Maybe it's the selfless way they act around me. Maybe it's the sacrifice they make. Maybe it's that they CHOOSE to make that sacrifice. Maybe it's how they are always so grateful for the smallest things. Maybe it's because I think they deserve better than they have. Maybe it's because they are willing to fight and die for a cause that most of us take for granted. Maybe it's all of these things and more combined that it hurts my heart when a soldier cries.

I never get to see what happens to the families on the other side of security. But when I flew to NYC I got to see first hand the goodbyes that take place at the gates. And I never want to see that again. Three different soldiers were going back, two men and one woman. All three had their spouses and children at the gate. Each one hanging on until the very last minute. Children clinging to legs and husbands and wives holding each other. And once again people were staring. When the soldiers made their way thru the gate each one waved and blew kisses. I noticed one man kept waving but his wife was trying to get one of the kids to behave and she didn't see him. He kept waving but still she didn't see. I felt a panic building up in my chest because I hated the thought of him going thru that door and her not seeing him. Or him leaving with that on his mind..she didn't see me. But finally she looked up just as he made it to the door. I felt so relieved. Then all the families went over to big glass window to watch the plane leave. One wife had her hand on the glass...just one single hand. Like she could almost feel her husband on the other side. I was sitting a distance away with mine and my husbands bags but even from where I was I could see the tears making their way down her cheek. And still the people stared. I wondered why none of them went over to her and tried to console her. So what if she's a stranger..her husband just left to go back to war..show some kindness for God's sake! But not a soul went over to her. They just pointed and whispered. Had I not been stuck with a ton of bags I would have gone over to her. She stayed in that exact position until the plane left. Then she straightened up her shoulders wiped her tears and walked away. She was coming towards me and I stepped out and touched her arm. "He will be back, you just be strong and he'll be home soon I promise." With bloodshot eyes she said thank you and hugged me. I was once again reminded of the power of an act of kindness.