Welcome Home

The plane arrived at the Anchorage Alaska airport after one in the morning. I needed to find a cab, I was tired and a bit nervous because of our late arrival, and I did not know if the hotel would still be holding my room reservation. The airport was deserted, shops were closed, and there was an eerie silence until I rounded a corner and saw bright lights and hundreds of persons.  Did they greet all passengers with t.v. cameras, balloons, banners, flags and music?

I asked a security guard what was happening.  "Our boys are returning from Iraq today!"  I decided to stay and watch. I saw homemade banners with "Welcome Home,  My Daddy,"  "Love you!"  "Waiting for you, Honey."  Somewhere, on another level I could hear a band played America the Beautiful.  Everyone looked down the empty hallway. Excited people talked and stretched to look down the long hall hoping to be the first to see their loved one.

"Here they come," someone yelled. I saw the soldiers, not in uniform, but in casual clothing coming at a fast walk. A little girl ran under the rope and into her Dad's arms.  From then on, all I saw were hugs, kisses, flowers handed over, balloons tangled above people's heads, flags waving and cries of joy. I could not hold back my tears and cried right along with all the beautiful families. I enjoyed watching as everyone seemed to cling to each other.  One woman was lifted and twirled. Children would not let go of their Dads.  Women kissed husbands or boyfriends. T.V. cameras photographed the loving actions of those returning and those waiting for them!

I left the wonderful sight behind me as I looked for a taxi to take me to the hotel at 3:30 in the morning. What an exhilarating feeling to know that I, on my first visit to Alaska, helped welcome home a group of men and women from their overseas tour.

Today, I saw Act of Valor and came out of the movie with mixed emotions.  I felt proud that soldiers fight to keep us free by risking their own lives, scared that danger can befall us just like 9/11, happy that the majority of the soldiers in the movie made it home, and sad that we live in a world so full of danger. The movie is about Navy Seals rescuing a tortured and bloody agent, spying on drug deals, and intercepting Jihad wearing exploding vests from entering the United States. It is a fast moving action film with a lot of noisy shooting and shouting.  I knew it was a movie, shot with real Seals, but I wanted a fairy tale ending with all the soldiers making it home, a world at peace and with a,  "and they lived happily ever after" ending!

The movie brought back memories of those soldiers who returned home the night I arrived in Anchorage. Brave men and women who keep us safe and sound.  I salute those men and women and every night I will say a prayer for those serving our country!