Today, I give thanks to my brave brother Aaron for finding the courage to say goodbye to his wife and two little girls as he gave them a big hug and kiss and headed for Iraq. Thankfully he is now safely home being a husband and father leaving the memories of those uncertain goodbyes buried in the dessert of his memory.
 
I love my brother so much. He is my youngest and one of 2 that is still with us. Our brother Shane passed 9 years ago and I miss the joy of his clever humor and gentle poetic heart every day. He taught me to live in my heart not expecting today to end or tomorrow not to come. His love for me was unconditional. He was thankful I was his sister and I was thankful for every day he blessed me with his sometimes cantankerous, but mostly hilarious, light-hearted energy of love.
 
But Aaron, I believe, is a soldier of courage. I believe he knows way down deep inside himself who he is and what God’s true mission for him is or he could never have volunteered his service during this time of war knowing he possibly could find himself in a position to kill or be killed. And I believe it took an even deeper sense of knowingness, a relationship with the loving Spirit of God living within his heart, to find the courage to say goodbye to those he loved knowing he may never see a smile break across their faces or hold them in his arms again. This is true courage.
 
 A heart that knows God knows to follow the calling of his will before his own. He makes difficult choices even when they can mean goodbye forever. This is a courageous heart, the heart of a soldier. The heart of all the men and women that have served our country from its inception. I believe it is this courage that strengthens all of our hearts during desperate, difficult times and we can summon it to fight the many battles we face throughout our lives. God is on our side and in our hearts prepared to go to the front lines for us. All we have to do is call on him then listen to his guidance.
 
Thank you dear Aaron for being an example of courage. My life is enriched because of your willingness to say goodbye knowing your mission was greater than we could all understand. You are a brave man with a heart full of compassion and love not only for your country, but for that still voice that lives within you and guides you, your Spirit Man speaking the knowingness of your truth; God’s will for you.
 
With love always, Sissy