Christmas Eve in Iraq

This was not the blog post I had planned for my next post.

But sometimes, life intervenes, and let's you know that you need to adapt. This is one such moment.

Each day, at least once a day, I go to an online database, and check the counts; of American soldiers, other coalition forces, journalists and contractors. If there is any change, I make my updates manually to this blog, and a lens I have made about the project on Squidoo. It is a task I mostly do with little thinking; clicking on the bookmark that takes me to the information that I need. And, most days, in recent months, the numbers do not change. Deaths are declining. So, it perhaps hits me a little harder when I do see a change. The last few days the numbers have climbed, from 4209 to 4216.

Today, three soldiers died in southern Iraq in a vehicle accident. 12/24/08. While we are busy preparing for the holidays, or worrying about the economy, there are people who have families and friends in harms way every day. So in addition to the burdens we all carry everyday, they have a profound one.

Over the next week of celebrations, if you find yourself being annoyed by one of your relatives, or impatient with your spouse, pause for a moment and recognize that you are lucky that you only need be annoyed. Think about the friends and family who are receiving news of the loss of the person they hold dear. And try and hold them in your thoughts for a few moments in the next few days. Send them as much love and strength as you can. They will need it. And for all the other people who have already lost loved ones, or have family or friends serving now, or heading off to duty soon.



And I wish all of you, a year filled with much peace, love, good health and prosperity, as is humanly possible!