With Hope

I know some of you know that I have adopted several soldiers through the AdoptA-Platoon organization. I have also really gotten into reading milblogs, which are blogs written by military, usually soldiers who are deployed in Iraq or Afghanistan. Anyway, one of those soldiers, is finally home now. He just recently posted about some of the stuff that has been going on since he got home and it sounds like he has been going through a rough patch. There are so many people who have been loyal readers of his blog, they have all come to know him and want the best for him. I like to consider myself one of those people. It is strange and at the same time comforting to know that even perfect strangers can get to know one another and more importantly, reach out to one another in their time of need. A lot of people responded to this soldier's post to let him know that he was not alone and there were so many of us out here in the blogosphere that cared about him. One comment in particular really struck a chord for me so I wanted to post it here. Also, if anyone wants to read some of my favorite milblogs just check out the links to their blogs I have posted on mine! The commenter posted this excerpt from Maya Angelou's poem, "The Rock Cries Out To Us" followed by the writer's own words which I thought were just beautiful.

History, despite its wrenching pain,
Cannot be unlived, and if faced with courage,
Need not be lived again.
Lift up your eyes upon
The day breaking for you.
Give birth again
To the dream.
Women, children, men,
Take it into the palms of your hands.
Mold it into the shape of your most
Private need. Sculpt it into
The image of your most public self.
Lift up your hearts.
Each new hour holds new chances
For new beginnings.
Do not be wedded forever
To fear, yoked eternally
To brutishness.
The horizon leans forward,
Offering you space to place new steps of change.
Here, on the pulse of this fine day
You may have the courage
To look up and out upon me,
The rock, the river, the tree, your country.
No less to Midas than the mendicant.
No less to you now than the mastodon then.
Here on the pulse of this new day
You may have the grace to look up and out
And into your sister's eyes,
Into your brother's face, your country
And say simply
Very simply
With hope
Good morning.

Maya Angelou

Ryan, friends know the song in your heart, and we'll sing it back to you when you've forgotten the words - listen....can you hear us? We care.