Thankful

So I just woke up. I had a long night out with my friends, hanging in Whitney's living room and laughing and talking until six this morning. It was amazing.

I didn't realize how safe I felt with them, not only because I trust every one of them, but because I wasn't worried about anything crashing into the dorm. I wasn't worried that someone would run in with a bomb strapped to their chest. I didn't even consider the fact that there are people worrying about those things while they're away fighting for our freedom to hang out until daybreak and feel safe in our own country.

I was sitting at my desk, thinking about what I wanted to write and looking out my window when he walked by. There was another college student on his way back to his dorm. I'm assuming he went to go get lunch since that's about the right time to get back now. He had a large backpack on. I gave it a second look and it was the digital camo print and nearly twice his size. I could see something that looked like a yoga mat strapped beneath it. I immediately remembered the other students I always see on campus with the same thing, but they're usually wearing the full uniform too. The guy looked like he was struggling with the load, swinging one arm further than the other like he was compensating for the strain.

I have to respect anyone who can pull themselves together and willingly walk into hell so the rest of us can sit on our asses and blog about it. I'm eternally thankful and in awe of everything that it takes for someone to step up and do something that amazing, that powerful, that underappreciated. I don't care about the politics behind it or in front of it or running it. I admire the people. The heroes. Without them, we would be in sorry shape indeed. Not only because of wars, but because of life in general. Heroes are everywhere, these are just a little easier to spot. (Or harder to, depending on the terrain...) These people are the guiding light whether they know it or not. By their sacrifices and struggles and successes, they show us what humanity is capable of. They show us that just because something is hard doesn't mean that it's impossible. They prove on a daily basis that there is good in the world. I've rambled a little from my original point, but you should have grown to expect that by now.

I realize that I don't entirely see how much that our Armed Forces do. I'm not fully aware of all they protect us from. I'm just now seeing how dissatisfied I am with that. I don't pretend to know everything, but I will own up to what I do know. At this very moment, I'm thankful that I have the freedom to write this right now. I'm thankful for the fact that I can write it in any language that I can speak, that I can write anything at all. I'm also glad that I'm able to attend college and walk around campus safely. If I were almost anywhere else, just the fact that I am female would slam most doors shut and lock me under a man's power thanks to culture and societal norms. I was raised by a woman who was way too independent for any of that to ever be okay, therefore, I'm hardheaded and stubborn and prideful and willful, things she tried to break me of. ;) The thought of being under control just because of my sex infuriates me. I am thankful that I don't have to worry about things like this due to the fact that we're where we are and we're keeping it that way.

The weather's nice today, lovely actually. After I watched my fellow student and future hero walk into the  door of the dorm facing mine, I remembered a little thing that I wanted to do one night in a rainy Wal-Mart parking lot. I had seen so many Veteran stickers on trucks that I had the sudden urge to go make little notes thanking them for what they had done and stick them under the windshield wipers.The rain would have melted the paper and smeared the ink. Today, the weather is beautiful.

I may see who wants to go to Wal-Mart later.