Over the past couple of years I have experienced a lot. Through the encouragement of a couple key individuals, I have decided to start a blog not just for viewers to see, but for my own personal reflections. I hope you enjoy it.

Wednesday, September 7, 2011

The things that never come off me

When I was a kid my Mom used to buy me watches in order to keep track of time.  I would say somewhere around the 6th grade my Mom stopped this practice because it was becoming way to expensive and unpractical.  Not that my family did not have enough money to pay for a new watch, but I could never keep track of one for longer than a week before it magically disappeared.  I have extremely sensitive skin and hate to have things around my wrists or wear chains around my neck.  As a kid I would just take them off when they were uncomfortable and they would end up somewhere, I like to blame the nasty laundry gnomes.  You know the guys that steal that other sock out of the dryer.  I often think of why I was so forgetful with these things, and I guess I attribute it to lack of caring for the object.  Telling time was unimportant to me as a child and sporting some new chain was equally as unimportant.  However, as an adult now there are two objects that are never removed from my body at all times.  I wear them in the shower, I wear them when I work out, and one of them I was wearing while I was blown up.  Id like to share with you the story of my two priceless objects.

My family has an interesting tradition on Christmas Eve.  All seven of us pile into the van and drive over to 5 pm mass, promptly followed by a Christmas party at my dad's friend Mike's Christmas Party, and then back to the house where each kid is allowed to open one gift from a family member.  This is usually followed by somewhat childish excessive drinking and Sportscenters year in replay show, great show.  As I sat there deciding which gift to open on the night before Christmas, I decided to go with what my Mom had given me.  She handed me a small package, neatly wrapped like all Moms do, and I pulled the paper away.  Inside was a silver chain and two medallions.  The first medallion was the sign of St. Michael the patron saint of Soldiers.  I had just graduated West Point in May and I think my Mom knew that I needed some strength.  The second medallion was of two hands crossed in prayer, on the back read the serenity prayer.  I put it on over my head and said thank you Mom.

"God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference."

As I laid there on the Battalion Aid table my world was coming in and out.  It seemed like 15 people must have been shining lights in my eyes and the PA was prodding and bending my foot causing excruciating pain.  My best friend Bryson came running into the building out of breath.  They were now putting an oxygen mask over my face trying to calm me down from the shock.  They were cutting off all my clothing to expose the shrapnel wounds and make sure I wasnt hit in other places as well.  After cutting off all my clothing they reached for my necklace with the two medallions, I grabbed the medics hand, pulled my mask off and said, "No, that stays."  He nodded to me and went back to work on my leg.  I laid in bed after making the flight from KAF to Germany, and I felt more alone than ever before.  But my St. Michael's medallion kept me company and my serenity prayer calmed me down.  I fiddled with them in my hand for five days until they finally sent me back to the states, no one was going to take that off me, no matter how messed up I was.  

The second object that never leaves my body, is relatively new.  For those of you who are not in the military or unaware of our traditions, one of the most cherished is our "In honor of" bracelets.  If you are ever out and see someone who is wearing a black bracelet, either on the right or left wrist, it symbolizes the loss of a friend and Soldier.  My bracelet was made this past December, never comes off my wrist.   The bracelet reads simply: "1LT Todd Weaver 101st ABN (AASLT) 2ND BN 502ND INF REG KIA 09 SEP 2010"  Its a daily reminder of the sacrifice that my friend made.  I never take it off and at the same time I wish I never had to wear it.  Not in the sense that I do not wear it with pride, I would just rather have my friend here than immortalized in a bracelet.  The best part about the bracelet is the opportunity it provides.  It provides me the opportunity to share with other the incredible story of Todd. Quite often someone will see it and say unknowingly, "Hey cool bracelet, what is it?" I then tell them about my friend and his incredible heroism and leadership.  If you are ever out at a bar or restaurant, on the subway or buss, and you see one of  these, go up to the person and simply say, "Tell me about your friend?"  It may hurt for them to do, but they want to tell you and they want to share the story of the ultimate sacrifice.

Thank you all, and god bless. 

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