gunfire lullaby

I'm probably one of the few people in this world who find the sound of gunfire in the distance comforting.

I grew up in Port Royal, a beautiful little Southern town by the bay, directly across the sound from Parris Island, South Carolina. On long summer nights, when dusk finally faded into darkness and I lay snuggly curled up in my bed, during that hazy time between waking and sleep, I drifted off listening to the steady report of gunfire. I equated the sound with safety, and with home. Even now when I hear the sound, or that of a jet flying overhead, I subconsciously relax, a habit formed from a lifetime of associating those sounds with some of my most peaceful moments.

Today is Veterans' Day, and the men and women we honor on this day doubtlessly equate the sound of gunfire with much more than a balmy Southern night. These men and women have faced death head-on; they have seen it, smelled it, and heard it. Our nation's soldiers have sacrificed on countless levels, and have served on the behalves of every man, woman, and child who make their homes on American ground.

My grandfather (the pics I've posted are of him) served in the US Navy during the Korean War, and this is the first Veterans' Day since that conflict that he has not been alive to see. He was, and is, a great man, a very model of generosity and selfless love, and though he had to struggle with illness for decades upon decades, he still continued to make an impact on his world until the very end. I love and miss him dearly. To him, and all others who have served, do serve, or will serve, I want to say thank you. In the midst of the current state of our union, people forget to remember your honor and fortitude, and belittle the efforts you make or have made in the presence of continual danger. You have given me freedom and peace, both as a young child lulled to sleep by rumbling rhythms, and as an adult walking freely across American soil.

When you drive past the Marine Corps Air Station (also in my hometown), a sign (put up in response to complaints regarding the loud rumbling of jets overhead) reads "The Sound You Hear is the Sound of Freedom." That sign always makes me smile.