Defining Moments

“There is no security on this earth. Only opportunity.”  - Douglas MacArthur

Defining Moments

by Suzie Carr
@girl_novelist


Not long ago, I had one of those defining moments when I realized just how lucky I was to still have the opportunity to tell those close to me that I love them.

I had volunteered to serve lunch to wounded soldiers and their families and met some extremely brave, positive, strong individuals. Chills traveled up and down my spine all day long, as these soldiers taught me the value of love, of resilience, of appreciation. The defining moment came when this one soldier and his parents approached me for a scoop of mashed potatoes. 

The soldier had lost both of his legs in combat, yet, he wore a bright smile as he talked about his success competing in a bike race the day before. He stood tall with the help of prosthetics, beaming brightly as he recounted the finest details of the race. His parents smiled with obvious pride when he got to the part about finishing first. His parents cherished him and savored his enthusiasm, this much was evident.

As he waved goodbye to us and headed off to his table, a wave of what-if's washed over me. What if this young man would have been killed? What if his parents hadn’t had a chance to tell him one last time how much they adored and loved him? What if? What if? What if?

His mom sat by his side at his table and laughed at something he said. Joy bubbled up around them. Thankfully, she had that chance to show him how much she loved him.

What this defining moment taught me was that I should never feel entitled to waste precious opportunities to tell people I love them.

I'm going to strive to say it the first time around.

Hoping the same for you,

Suzie

I feel it's critical to support the community, and so I've committed to donate a portion of my book sale proceeds to Chely Wright's LikeMe foundation (http://likeme.org/) to help provide support, resources and education to LGBT individuals, and their families and friends.
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