New Friends

Just when I thought I was turning into an introvert and it was impossible for me to make new friends, I sit down by Michael on the plane to Birmingham. I'm not really one to strike up a conversation with a stranger on a plane. I always thought that was weird, but I know now that I just hadn't met the right stranger yet. 

Michael is in the Army, married, and has a baby on the way (due in April-ish). Our conversation started when I asked, "Are you coming or going [from war]?" And therein launched our 2+ hour conversation. He actually wasn't coming or going, he was going to training for the weekend. He had been to Iraq and by summer he'll be in Afganistan. 

I (probably like most Americans) avoid thinking about the fact that America is at war. Or maybe it's just that we've been at one war or another for my entire life, and we've been at war in the Middle East for the majority of my formative years, and just I've become numb to it. Honestly, I think the media does a poor job of telling American citizens just exactly what's going on. I'd wager that the average American couldn't tell you the difference in the Iraq and Afghan wars- why each started, and what our mission is in each. Actually, I couldn't honestly tell you before I sat down by Michael. 

I learned a lot in those 2 hours. I learned about why the wars started, what we're trying to do, why that probably isn't working, what we probably should do differently, what it's really like in infantry, what our soldiers are going through physically and especially mentally, and then we ended with a great talk about women in infantry. When we landed, the lady sitting in front of us said, "I was trying to sleep but you two were yacking away the whole flight!" We both felt bad for a mili-second, but then he said, "Sorry- it's a public flight!" Haha

He was on my return flight, but got bumped up to first class so we didn't get to talk any more except at baggage claim. A friend said I should get his address and have a soldier pen-pal. I'd feel weird about that. I also feel weird about saying cliche things to strangers. I should have said something along the lines of "Congratulations on becoming a daddy come spring" and "Thank you for serving our country," but I don't say things like that (at least not without feeling fake). I think he can tell just in my showing interest that I was more than just interested in his service- I genuinely appreciated it. I hope he knows that. If not, then this will be more formal "thank you": I truly thank all the men and women of this country who fight for us each and every day while I go and sit behind a desk and live my life in a comfortable denial that we're even at war. 

At baggage claim, Michael said he'd be making that same flight back to Birmingham a lot and asked if I flew it every month. I told him I probably wouldn't go back until May. He said, "Well I hope I'll get to see you again in May." I made a new friend! Meeting him reminded me that our soldiers need our support whether or not we support the politics behind the wars. These men suffer physically and mentally for us. I can't really express my gratitude.