Dreams....

I received this picture from my husband of one of the local children in his area of operation. He told me the kids there are so cool. Aren't kids everywhere for the most part? This started me thinking again on how hard it must be for our men fighting over there. During the day they interact with these wonderful children and at the same time fight the men that sometimes these children grow up to become, the Taliban. I can't imagine how these children view their world. I know they love the Marines, I know the Marines love them. I am thankful that my son doesn't experience this type of world. There is a huge difference between knowing your father is going to fight in a war and all that means then actually living in a war zone. I have lived in a lot of places, and I can tell you all people are the same. A quote I heard somewhere but can't recall from who was, "all men have a dream for their families" I know that is true, even in the villages of Afghanistan where the simple farmer raises his children, whatever it is this man has a dream for his children. I am comforted in knowing that after the harvest and before most of the fighting starts, the farmers leave with their families. It comforts me to look at this photo and know when the bad stuff starts hitting the fan this little boy will have hopefully been long gone. I hope someday these children can live in a place where roadside bombs are not part of their lives, where the fear of the Taliban doesn't stop a little girl from going to school. After ten years I wonder if these children will ever be born in too a better place. This young boy looks like maybe he is 5-6, and that means he has never known anything but war. Actually all of the children have known only the Taliban. I wish for a better life for all these children, of freedoms we know and liberties only they can imagine. Their life is a simple one, to live off the land, and provide a life for their children, probably the same simple life they have or maybe even a better one. I just hope the day comes when they will have a choice for themselves.