A Long Walk

WELCOME HOME

This is in honor of those who paid the price and have made the long walk home. But mostly for those who continue the journey.

In the Civil War, it was called “Soldier’s Heart.” “Shell Shock” in WW I, and everything from “Battle Fatigue” to “Having shit in your blood” in WW II. We really didn’t acknowledge it during Vietnam, but afterwards we called it “PTSD.” Soldier’s Heart is a collection of essays, poetry and art by veterans and their families on their experience surviving “whatever” they called it at the time. I really liked the term “Soldier’s Heart” when I discovered it – sort of sounds like something good, like something you’d be proud to have earned.

The writings in Soldier’s Heart are from WW II, Korea, Vietnam, Lebanon and Desert Storm, from both male and female vets’ points of view. I gave a few speaking engagements when the book came out, and played a little game with the audience, called “Guess the War.” Here are some excerpts from Soldier’s Heart. Without peeking at the answers at the bottom of the page, guess which war and whether the author was male or female.

Excerpt 1:

I feel depressed , at times angry.

Angry at the President who sent us there in the first place… angry at the unappreciative people that we were fighting to save.

I see something sad on TV and I start sobbing. I have to leave the room to spare myself embarrassment in front of friends and family. How do I explain to visitors who do not know my condition… why I am crying?

Excerpt 2:

You missed life, my friend. Yes, you missed all of these, oh comrade of mine. And I remember still in my own quiet hours, Thinking that you deserved better, And thanking you again for my life.

And I still weep for you, if that can help.

Excerpt 3:

Sanity is knowing you are insane.

Insanity is refusing to feel pain,

Pain in simply being alive.

Living is knowing who you are

Would tell you who I am…

If I knew…

Would tell you how I felt…

If I could feel…

Lest you get the impression that Soldier’s Heart contains nothing but doom and gloom, that wasn’t the purpose of the book. This final excerpt is from a veteran who made it all the way home. This is why we wrote the book.

Excerpt 4:

When the emotions of war

finally started to slow down inside him

he sold his guns,

and then soon after that he began

to forgive

all the people who had ever

done him wrong,

and he prayed for each of them daily.

The next Spring

he went into his backyard

for the first time