I went to buy groceries today at the Wal-mart Neighborhood Market on 31st and Garnett in Tulsa. While I was looking for some sandwich cheese in the dairy section I saw a man in camoflauge pants and a army looking t-shirt. To get his attention, I asked him if he was in the military. He turned around and said, “Yes, Ma’am”.
He said he’d been in for 20 years and he went to Iraq when the Twin Towers fell. And then he raised his foot and knocked on the side of his leg. I heard a hollow sound. He said he got his leg blown off. And then he said in an upbeat voice that he would go and do it again.

I told him I appreciate my freedom, and then grabbed his hand sincerely to shake it. I looked him directly in the eye and thanked him for fighting. He said thank you. Then he told me his family was nearby and left.
I know war is Hell but our great country must be defended from terrorists and the job must be fully completed.
As I continued my shopping, I started thinking about what he said. He go and do it again! In my mind I’d wondered why he said that so upbeat and confidently. What did he mean? I know he at least meant that he would go through the hardship . . . yes . . . of losing his leg again. Did he even mean he would go again if even a more difficult peril and sacrifice was his fate? I don’t know. I obviously do not know his deepest thoughts. When I thought of his great attitude, despite the outcome, I started to cry.
When this type of cry happens I need to go hide somewhere and get it all out with noone around. I admired the man and his words. I was sniffling pretty loud and my eyes were filling with tears. I was hoping the other shoppers didn’t notice. Pretty soon, I would have to sigh loudly just to get another breath in and my shoulders would shudder. I began quickly pushing my cart and focusing on my grocery list. This helped me get distracted and the crying stopped.
This dear man loved the freedom of America and he loved his family. He was proud to defend us. And he had a near taste of death to appreciate everything all the more.