Honor
Integrity
These are things I need not be taught
Loyalty
And personal courage
They are cornerstones of what I believe in
For with out them we are all nothing
Respect
Selfless service
And even duty
None of these were necessary to be taught to me
These things I do
Sacrifice for friends
Staying there to the end
Keeping all in check
And watching out for others so they may come home again
No one had to teach me these
No armed forces
No special group
These are already embedded in my spirit
This is not the reverie of a post 9/11 tragedy
And what was taught of this soldier
This is nothing to do with that
These qualities are me
And the strength that will hold me against any storm
Things that will out class me in the end
Things that I have known long before any recruitment
The one thing that comes to mind
As I sit here in my musings
Is why must these be taught
And not known from birth?

08/26/2002

Posted on 08/26/2002
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