Brighton Blade-Veteran's Day Column

I am Canadian. I am very proud to be a Canadian. I am also very proud to have an American husband, two American- born children and one Russian-born child. I love this country that I live in and very seldom can I sing the Star Spangled Banner without tears in my eyes. However, I rarely think of the price that has been paid for me to live my happy life in this great place.

I avoid most conversations about war. I want to be naïve. I am not a fan of war but can understand that it is a necessary evil. I have not been directly affected by someone fighting for my freedom so war has been easy to push into the un-thinking parts of my brain.

One of my new friends, however, has a son, 22 year old Private First Class Anthony James Wolfe, that came home before being shipped off to serve our country in Iraq. She kept posting on facebook about all of the yummy meals she was making for him and how much she was enjoying showering her son with love before he left. I read the status updates and thought it must be an emotional time in her life and then, sad to say, was able to jump back into my life without thinking of it again.

On the Sunday before Tony was deployed he went to church with his family. They were sitting a few rows in front of me and over to the right. At one point, while we were standing and singing, Tony had his arm around his mom and leaned down and said something that made her laugh. It was such a sweet moment. But then, after the laughter had faded, mom turned her head so Tony wouldn’t see, and wiped away a tear. The pain that I felt in my chest in that moment was something I have felt very rarely in my life. In that instant I had an idea, and I’m sure it is nothing compared to the real pain, of what it must be like for a mom to send her child off to war.

For the first time in my life, the war, the soldiers, all of it, became real to me. It became part of my life. I couldn’t just go on with my life and pretend that I hadn’t seen that moment, or felt that pain. There are men and women that are fighting for my freedom every single day and I have promised myself that I will never let myself forget that again.

I am thankful for all of those that gave their life for my family’s freedom. I am thankful for all of the men and women that are serving our country and protecting our rights as we go on with our busy lives. Today, Veteran’s Day, I will stop and I will remember. My heart will ache for those missing their family members. My hands will come together in prayer for all of our soldiers. And my lips will say Thank You to Private First Class Tony Wolfe and the many, many others that are risking their lives for you and me. Thank you!