An Open Letter to My Friend Serving in the Military

I cannot even begin to thank you enough. I know the struggles you face are incredibly self and time consuming and you do it for me. You fight for us. There are no words for the amount of courage, the amount of strength, and the amount of dignity you display in honoring the red, white, and blue. Your devotion is forever acknowledged and your sacrifice is forever appreciated.

You being away from home makes me extremely nervous sometimes, especially when you don’t respond to my Kik messages for a few days or answer my twice-a-week Skype calls. I feel my heart getting heavier whenever I hear about a soldier passing away. Not knowing makes my stomach curl. The amount of fear and worry I feel for you is completely overwhelming. We never want you to go, but we understand.

If you ever believe that you’re forgotten, please know that you’re not. I pray for you to come back home safe every single morning and night. I long for that giant bear hug that you promised me you’d give me when you got back from Japan every single day. I write letters, listen to music, and reread our old messages to and from each other just so I can smile for the day. So no, you are never forgotten back home.

My dad once told me that a soldier doesn’t fight because he hates what is in front of him. He fights because he loves what he has left behind back home. Because of this extremely true dialect from my father, I can cope. I can understand. I can ask of you to please don’t give up. Giving up is the easiest thing in the world to do. But to hold it together when everyone else around you would understand if you fell apart, is true and remarkable strength.

You will have many obstacles to complete, many adversities to overcome, and many tears soaking into your camouflage uniform as we say our goodbyes. The goodbyes are hard, but the hellos are worth it. You’ll be coming home to your family and friends soon.

I miss you.

I love you.

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