Reflections on a Holiday, Part 2

Well, the day has come and gone, and the bulk of my "loot" has been plundered. I can honestly say I came out ahead, as I got an iced-tea maker, a crock pot (doesn't that rock? A CROCK POT!), orange bedsheets (Tricia will surely pay for that one!), various movies (including special editions of The Two Towers and Return of the King), and among others, a "modern" panini grill. A panini grill! They made the best grilled cheese sammiches and french toast when I was a wee bairn, and my mom still has her ancient one, in perfect working order. In fact, when I'm done with this one I think I'll go make a grilled cheese sammich on it! But I had no more procured all this loot when a good bud sent me a thought-provoking cartoon from a strip called "User Friendly." It can be found here: http://ars.userfriendly.org/cartoons/?id=20041225&mode=classic. Wow. Doesn't that make you stop and think about all the neat stuff that was under your tree? Those guys (and girls) over there can't enjoy the luxury of a crock pot or of LOTR special edition DVDs. They don't even know if they will enjoy the luxury of another day of life. At any time they could be sent into combat. At any time during combat they could be killed. And we're worried about whether or not we got everything on our lists. Think about this, people. These guys are over there in OUR place. It could be any one of us sitting in a mess hall in Iraq right now instead of in a warm and cozy living room with hot chocolate and a mound of presents. These people are there so that YOU AND I can enjoy the luxury of a crock pot or iced tea maker. Why, WHY should we be complaining about these boys and girls being off to war when it could be any one of us in that position? No, we should be grateful that they were willing to enlist and serve their country while the rest of us are too busy looking for the next buck or the next big present. We can sit here all day and whine and moan about whether or not this war is justified, it still does not change the fact that at the end of the day, those soldiers are there so that you and I can continue to enjoy the luxuries we have. We Americans are so spoiled. So before the New Year starts, take a moment to say a prayer, and maybe shed a tear or two, for our brave brothers and sisters fighting the good fight in Iraq and elsewhere around the globe. God bless them and keep them safe. Amen.