A Military Formal

"Courage is like love: it must have hope for nourishment." - Bonaparte

We attended our yearly Military Formal just hours ago. (Friday Night) ---My mind is racing with the replays of the evening events that I can not go to sleep.

Our formals are rich with tradition and history, and although we don't need to be reminded of the sacrifice that each family is doing for our country's freedom, a special toast goes out in a one night event to honor these heroes who silently serve. So, tonight was it! It is the night where we dressed up in formal attire and allowed our own personal "Knight in Shining Armor" to escort us. It is the night, where once a year, I get to look around at our small intimate group and see the faces of my friends that God has blessed me with. For some of these people, this Military family is closer to them than their own blood-kin, and it was this thought that made me more keenly aware of the sparkle in the eyes of each woman. Why was that sparkle there? Well, it is because these brave women were sitting beside their husbands, actually physically holding the arm of their love one, instead of being the woman keeping the home-fires burning while she quietly waits, like the "Waving Girl" monument in Savannah, for her soldier to come home.

This event also allows me to witness, the strong ties of brother-hood among the men. It is the strong bonds that only come from many hours that they have had to share with each other.

And it is at this time that my prayers went out to the ones who had tears in their eyes, the family members who know their loves ones, who have paid the ultimate sacrifice, were looking down at them only from Heaven. ....Oh, I Thank God for these people. I count it a privilege to know each of them----And it is because of this that I wish I could sit down and capture the stories of these heroes and heroines, so you too can look through a window into the heart and soul of those that have sacrificed much.