Giving Thanks

Just returned from the annual family thanksgiving dinner. It brought back a lot of memories. But, I'm not talking about the years of going to my parents' house and filling up on turkey, stuffing and candied yams. No, I sat at the dinner table and remember that I missed two thanksgiving dinners while serving in Iraq.

I remember the chow hall in Fallujah in 2004 and how they really decked it out with decorations and a huge helping of turkey and fixings. If I remember correctly, my fellow Marines and I were living in the city. We were advisors with the Iraqi Army. So, we lived in abandoned buildings in the burned out city. We very rarely got to go back to the rear and visit the main base just outside the city's outskirts. It was a welcome escape to go to the thanksgiving dinner at the chow hall. A respite from the Iraqis and the danger of the city.

In 2007, I spent Thanksgiving at the Haditha Dam with my platoon of combat engineers. Once again, the cooks and chow hall hands really went all out and gave us a great turkey dinner. The little things like a real holiday dinner go a long way to maintaining morale amongst the troops.

I also remember calling home and speaking with my wife and other family members. It was strange not to be with them for the holidays. During my first tour, I definitely wondered if I would ever see them again. It is a sobering thing to have to contemplate one's own death.

Most civilians are never confronted with that reality - that we are all going to die - but I know it was something on our minds at all times. And it puts things like Thanksgiving into perspective. You learn to cherish those times with your family. You learn to appreciate the value of those traditions.

On this past Thanksgiving, when I was sitting there watching lousy football games with a bloated belly, I couldn't help but drift back to those times when I could be there.

And then I thought about all those warriors who are deployed now and thinking about those same things I was a few short years ago.

I said a silent prayer that they, like me, would be able to return safely and enjoy many more future Thanksgiving dinners.

I wonder if anyone else besides veterans gave any thought to these things during their own holiday dinners. When they gave thanks what did they give thanks for?