You've Got To Stand For Something Or You'll Fall For Anything

            Currently I stand in the field of golden wheat, the stalks waving in the breeze. I walk in the faded footsteps of men who made a Pledge to fight for what they believed in. They had an Allegiance to their commanders and to their country. I look To the sky, imagining the brilliant blue muffled with smoke from muskets and cannons. I walk up The hill overlooking the town below. I can see a Flag ripple in the wind, a reminder of what was fought for here.

            On the edge of the field a single stone marks the name Of this place. For the people who once stood here The stone signifies a victory against all odds. I close my eyes and think about the way those men stood United, facing eminent danger. They did not have unified training, only a rag-tag group of men from various States. Men Of this area knew more about farming than fighting in a war. The one thing they did have was a name to fight for, America.

            Eventually the smoke cleared And the sounds of gunfire ceased. The trained soldiers retreated To their camp. At last, The men who had fought for freedom stood tall and proud. They served their Republic with every breath. They fought For the women and children of the towns. I now look for the courage Which they showed without hesitation. I stand here, hoping to soak It up by remembering how it was once displayed. My son Stands at my side, looking out at fields stretching into the distance. 

           He is the One I have to be strong for. Soon I will be following the footsteps of those men long forgotten; fighting for the Nation they believed in. I tell myself that I will not fail Under pressure. I tell my son that God will bring me home safely. As I say goodbye the next morning I tell my loving wife that we are Indivisible, that the miles between us will not matter. 

          For the first time, With a heavy heart, I walk away from the two people who mean the most to me. Once the plane takes off, my thoughts are of fighting for Liberty. I think about the men who fought And died in that field. Like them, I also want Justice for my country and its citizens. When the time comes For me to face the enemy, I only pray that I have the courage to battle with every breath. I am standing strong for All the people who have come before me.

What Day Is It?

Today is Valentine's Day. Once a year we are reminded of what society thinks constitutes love between two people. At its simplest form today can be summed up with chocolate and flowers, maybe a card or a romantic dinner. Its the chance to prove how much you care for another person, making your own personal bubble of happiness for the day. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy Valentine's Day as much as the next person. I wore pink to try to get into the mood, and I definitely enjoyed some chocolate. But today is not just Valentine's Day. It's Singles Awareness Day (SAD).

I suppose being single I cannot truly understand the point of today. For me it isn't really a holiday, if it were we'd have school off. Maybe this day can only be enjoyed in its full purpose by the people in relationships. But currently I'm single and happy about it. For now this day just passes by as another Friday, with a little more chocolate than usual. So rather than spending the day dwelling on the idea of being in a relationship, I'm going to define why being single may be the happiest state of all (at least for now).

For those people like me, stubbornly independent and carefree, being in a relationship just bogs me down. I believe in fairy tale love, and until prince charming sweeps me off my feet I don't care to settle for just anyone. For now I'm taking the time to get to understand myself. Honestly, how can you be in a relationship, expecting to let someone else get to know you completely without knowing yourself? And who knows how long that could take. So for now I am content with the idea that I have more soul searching left to do.

I also believe that a relationship should be leading towards marriage. If I don't think that I could one day marry a guy, I'm not going to date him just to be with someone. And if a relationship is eventually working to marriage, the two people have to be completely devoted to each other. Of course they also need to make time for work, personal space, etc. But as a college student in her final semester, with a job and more homework than I seem able to manage, a relationship would just be more work. Not only would I be busy beyond belief, I would inherently give my most attention to school. This would leave the guy feeling unwanted and it just wouldn't be fair to either of us.

So all you singles listen up. It won't always be just you and your cat. One day you'll find that special someone, and if you're lucky you'll spend your entire lives together. And more than likely you'll have times that you miss the days of being young and single and carefree. So enjoy it while it lasts. You've got the rest of your lives to see Feb. 14 the way the chocolate suppliers and greeting card companies portray it.

22nd

        Crisp snow glistens white with frost. The unmarked ice lies frozen in place. The hills have been formed into powdery masterpieces. Moonlight glows over the perfectly prepared wonderland. The only sound is the blustery wind among the trees.

The rinks have been perfectly groomed. The jumps stand tall and strong. The tracks are glossy with slick ice. The courses on the mountains tower into the sky. The arenas sit in empty silence. Seven years of design has been carved into the landscape. The entire area awaits the challengers who dare to test their skills.

Boards have been waxed until they tear the snow without resistance. Blades have been sharpened to glide with ease.  Outfits have been meticulously designed. Skis of every shape and size have been formed to compete in any condition. All preparations have been completed.

The noise of the big arena has died down. Crowds have dispersed to their separate areas. The smoke from the fireworks has faded into the dark sky. The athletes have finished their march and now rest for the weeks ahead. Years of planning, injuries, heartbreak and triumph have been leading to this moment. Let the games begin.