PTSD claims another...

A young man (I guess I can still call people my age "young"), fellow alum of AJHS, succumbed to  PTSD. I struggle to comprehend his pain and my soul weeps to think of it.

I don't have words right now, so I'll turn to a piece of writing by those much greater than I: Walt Whitman with his "Adieu to a Soldier".  I hope my readers take these words in with a state of meditative reception, contemplation, and levity.

God rest your soul, Will, and those of all the young soldiers whose most private of battles couldn't be won.

Please consider supporting organizations like Stop Soldier Suicide , Returning Veterans Project, and The Soldiers Project and help heal our warriors who can't heal themselves.  And always, always, reach out to the soldiers, sailors, marines, airmen, and veterans in your life, check on them, encourage them, listen to them, and be a part of the solution.

~m

Adieu to a Soldier ~ Walt Whitman
ADIEU, O soldier!
You of the rude campaigning, (which we shared,)
The rapid march, the life of the camp,
The hot contention of opposing fronts--the long manoeuver,
Red battles with their slaughter,--the stimulus--the strong, terrific
game,
Spell of all brave and manly hearts--the trains of Time through you,
and like of you, all fill'd,
With war, and war's expression.

Adieu, dear comrade!
Your mission is fulfill'd--but I, more warlike,
Myself, and this contentious soul of mine, 10
Still on our own campaigning bound,
Through untried roads, with ambushes, opponents lined,
Through many a sharp defeat and many a crisis--often baffled,
Here marching, ever marching on, a war fight out--aye here,
To fiercer, weightier battles give expression.