[rowdieangel]

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ms lynch, i know that you are a very busy person and have many, many messages to read. i would only ask to share a poem with you. i wrote this barely a month after 9-11. i am a 23 year old woman who was medically discharged from the air force on 9-12-01. it hurt to leave the service just when my country needed its military the most. granted i may never have been able to do anything all that substantial (i worked finance at little rock afb, ar), but i have been patriotic all my life.

when the shock of the attack and my discharge started to subside, i wrote this poem-- just to get my feelings out on paper. my love of my country and the pride i feel in EVERY servicemember (even before 9-11) prompted me to leave my tribute.

when i heard about what you went through, it hit me so hard. i joined the military at age 19....so young. i kept having this thought. "that could have been me" which only led me to ask: could i have been as strong as you were and are? could i have survived..emotionally, physically and spiritually? i don't know that i could. i know you don't consider yourself a hero, but you are a very special kind of person-- the kind of person i am so honored to say serves our country. i realized then that this poem that i had written was for people like you, your platoon (?) and everyone else who has fought the fight i could not.

i do not generally share what i have written, and i do not place any great importance on my scribblings. but maybe, just maybe, someone else will understand....and a mother will find comfort. the poem is called:

Don't Worry, Mom

Don't worry, Mom, for I am an Airman.
I wake each day knowing
that I may be called upon to give
more than I thought I had.
From the bottommost ranking Airman,
to the highest-ranking general,
I stand proud beside my brethren.
Our mothers once shielded us
as we go forth now to protect you.
As you once dried my tears,
I now calm your fears.
I slept safe in my bed of innocence
secure in knowing no harm could befall me.
Sleep now in your bed of wisdom
as I fight to give you the same peace.
Know that if today is to be my last,
I'd not trade all the tommorows
for this day I give to you.
This day of FREEDOM.
Don't worry, Mom,
for I am an Airman.