Home For the Holidays

                                        

                                              
A/N: This 온라인카지노게임 is my holiday shout out. Inspired by the fact that yesterday marked the return of the last of the Canadian soldiers from Afghanistan, outside of the 950 staying behind to help train their army. Welcome home soldiers and thank you.
                              
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Sergeant Johnson was so nervous that sweat pooled in the curve of her palm and the echo of her powerful heart beat seemed to fill the room around the soldier. The Sergreant had faced the threat of IEDs (improvised explosive devices), had held the hand of a fellow soldier dying from shrapnel after an RPG (rocket propelled greanade) hit their base and suffered through the task of serving as peacemakers in a country that seemed determined to go on killing each other. And yet it was the thought of coming home that reduced this soldier into a quivering mass of nerves.
                              
What if it had been a mistake to go? Although proud to serve as a member of the Canadian Armed Forces, Sergreant Johnson was aware of the sacrifices that had brought the scarred soldier to this moment. After the birth of her first child the Sgt. (sergeant) was deployed, and that had meant seeing that little boy's first steps on tape and not live, seeing her own little sister get married only ever in home videos and not getting to say goodbye when the patriarch of the family died.
                              
But then memories of the families her unit had saved surfaced and Sergeant Johnson realized that the sacrifices she and her family made bought other families the right to celebrate, or not, this holiday season with their own loved ones. Sergeat Johnson sucked in a deep breath to try and settle her nerves and smiled at the men and women of her unit. They were all finally getting to go home, and every single one of them seemed as terrified and excited as she did.
                              
And then she looked down at the cargo they were bringing home with them and why their trip was delayed. The morning they were supposed to come home, three of their American bretherin werre killed by one of the innumerous IEDs. Their coffins rested, guarded by their own troops, and the Canadians as well, a sad and precious cargo coming home as well.
                              
Like every soldier in this room, she wished that it hadn't cost the price of these lives, that blood to buy life and freedom for others, but it was the choice these soliders all made. Sometimes because they felt the need for penance of past sins, sometimes because the duty sang in their blood. For Samantha Johnson it had been the belief that no one should live in fear that had motivated her first footstep into the recruiting office oh so long ago, and nothing had changed that belief, although it had brought her far more nightmares than she ever anticipated.
                              
The American soliders and their tragic cargo were unloaded and it was the last leg for the Canadians before they were home. Home. How a sweet, innocent four letter word could hold so many contrary emotions seeemed impossible, but it did. Hope, fear, happiness, joy, sadness, grief. The malestrom of emotions swirled in the eyes of everyone here and silenced the normally playful and friendly banter they used to keep the terrors at bay. There was too much in the room left unsaid, too many people that should be in this room with them now and weren't, it weighed down the hearts of these men and women who should, by all rights, be jumping with joy to be coming home. The reality of survivor's guilt shackled their feet to the floor though, and everyone wondered how it was they were lucky enough to be here now and yet someone else, equally as deserving wasn't. It hurt and confused and it wasn't fair. But that's war.
                              
And yet, when the doors opened and the soldiers stepped out of their transport, it all fell away. In front of them stood the happy, proud, excited and nervous faces of their families and for just a moment, the pain and sadness lifted. Husbands and wives ran to each other, children providing obstacles to dodge around and hug while everyone cried. Sergeant Samantha Johnson saw her husband and their little boy step forward from the back for their own reunion and for the first time since she became a soldier, her nerve broke. Tears slipped out of her control and cascaded down her face as she hugged her best friend and husband and cuddled her little boy.
                              
"Merry Christmas." her husband whispered, ten days too soon but it was perfect. This was the Christmas everyone should have.
                              
"I'm home." Sergeant Johnson breathed in response, never wanting to let go.