Homecoming

Some like the smell of roses.....I prefer the smell of dirty, sweaty soldiers in dirty, sweaty uniforms returning from a year's deployment.

My physical feelings at a homecoming ceremony are not all that different than my physical feelings from the deployment ceremony. I am nauseated, perspiring, and anxious. When he leaves, I make myself sick knowing I have to say goodbye, that it will be a long time till I see him again, and that he will be in harm's way. When he comes home, I make myself sick knowing he will be here any minute (even though his arrival time has changed easily a dozen times), and eager for my empty arms to be filled with that longed for familiar form. We come out in droves; the wives, children, family and friends.....we bring banners, posters, flags, leis; anything we can think of to make our soldier feel loved. Then we wait patiently as our soldiers are marched out in formation, and endure a brief ceremony that no one has any interest in.....because all eyes are scanning to find their soldier. This brief dog and pony show, from what I can recall, consisted of honoring the flag, the soldiers singing a song (for which I know that most of the words out of my husband's mouth were "marshmallow, marshmallow, marshmallow".......because it is what you say when you don't know the words to something.....it gives the appearance that you do), and someone spoke; about what I have no idea, and am willing to bet everyone around me wouldn't be able to tell you either......and then finally our soldiers are released to find their way into their loved one's embrace. We wait an entire year ......for this one beautiful moment.