dear weary warrior...

dear weary warrior friend,

our struggles may not be mirrored struggles,

but I recognize the signs of battle fatigue

and I identify with you,

it may seem obvious,

but sometimes the most obvious things need to be spelled out:

warriors fight wars

war is ugly 

war is difficult

war is costly 

war is demanding

war changes us from the inside out

war alters the way we view life

war leaves wounds 

wounds leave scars

some wounds leave us limping

some wounds maim 

some wounds never heal completely this side of heaven

dear weary warrior, 

I see your pain

I see your struggle

I see your frustration

I hear your weariness

I hear your ragged breaths

I hear your cries of desperation

and in spite of, 

or perhaps because of all that

I see you fighting the good fight,

one step at a time going forward

choosing to get out of bed every day

choosing to shower and get dressed 

choosing to get out of the house

choosing to interact with people and invest in their lives

choosing to walk by faith even when you don't "feel" like it

choosing to love those who have added to your pain

choosing life over existence

I am proud to call you friend

I am thankful for your example

thank you for being here for me

thank you for accepting me without conditions

I am thankful we hold one another up,

I vow to continue to walk alongside you as long as I am able to,

I love you