Wounded Warrior Project

   The Wounded Warrior Project was put in place for the extraordinary people who have served and been affected to such a degree that their lives will never be the same; this organization allows our Heroes to tell their stories to the Nation.

   The Organization was created by veterans and friends that heard the stories of some of the first wounded warriors, feeling compassion for these warriors they formed what we know as the Wounded Warrior Project. I think it is very important to hear what our troops have to tell us, everyone deserves a chance to speak and these warriors have had life-crippling experiences.

   Sometimes having to blend back into society proves harder than expected for these warriors because of PTSD, or Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. I have experienced PTSD first hand as my cousin served in Iraq for his full term, when he returned home he wasn’t himself. He couldn’t sleep at night on a bed; he slept on the floor with his back against a wall because he didn’t even feel safe in his own home. My cousin took his own life 2 years ago when he was attending college in Atlanta, Georgia. 

   Our soldiers and their families need us now more than ever to gain their lives back and support those they love. When I think about my cousin and his mom and dad, I can’t help but think that if someone would have just helped him open up about his experiences, if someone had just talked to him and told him that everything would be okay, maybe things would have been different.

   There are thousands of Americans that have served and are still fighting for us when we, as a nation, were in need. So many of our neighbors, school teachers, parents and even grandparents have served our nation and I firmly believe that as a nation we should aid those who are in need; whether we help our soldiers cope with their injuries or just help them with making everyday life easier, it is our duty as Americans to serve those who have given so much for us.

War is...

War is inevitable, serving a vital purpose.
War is intricate, obscuring everything.
War is incessant, unconcerned with who it may affect.
War is infinite, ending only when we do.
War is irrevocable, crucial to protect our rights.
War is impervious, we cannot wage war with war itself.
War is irreconcilable, 'compromise' was tossed from its vocabulary.
War is impairing, destroying coalitions and claiming lives alike.
War is illustrious, manifested in every culture of every sort of people.
War is invidious, clashing with peace in a timeless battle.

Book Review

Dreamland by Sarah Dessen
   Let me start of by saying that Sarah Dessen has always been one of my favorite authors, I have read most of her books and loved them all-- With the exception of this one. Maybe it is because I'm used to her usual plot line of a teenage or young adult girl having a struggle with herself and to make the right choices, usually ending with a happy ending and to me this book was a bit of a downer. I still liked the book, but not nearly as much as some of her other books. Dreamland was a little too dark for me. However, if you happen to like teen drama, this is a great book for you. Overall, I'd give it a 6 out of 10.

Remembering 9/11

For most people, 9/11 is a very sensitive topic due to personal losses, insecurities that came from the event or maybe even just out of anger at those who would commit such a catastrophic mass of destruction-- for what? To make a point?

I know that in my family it was a disaster that hit a little too close for comfort in my family. On my father's side, the great majority of our family lives in New Jersey, Pennsylvania and even New York City, just blocks from Ground Zero. However, I was lucky that no one in my family was injured in the attacks, unlike so many others who lost their fathers, mothers, sisters, brothers-- aunts and uncles, grandparents... My family was very lucky.

On September 11, 2001, I was in the first grade and I remember my mom picked my brothers and I up early from school, like so many other parents were doing. It was a shock to our entire nation, no one felt safe. Planes had gone down in rural areas and well populated areas alike and after such a horrific event that NO ONE expected, who knew what was to be expected next? My mother told me that there were people backed up at the gas stations, predicting oil would be cut off from the Middle East and prices skyrocketing. Airport security was almost ridiculous for years after, and why wouldn't it be? It's a shame we couldn't even feel safe in our own country.

Today, almost 10 years after the first tower came crashing down toward earth, American's still have the same question. After the shock and grief of our country's loss had passed, we are still angry. As a nation, we are still fighting this and trying to understand why. Why all those lives had to be lost, why some group in the middle east decided they had it in their power to take hundreds and hundreds of lives in one day. Sometimes we blame ourselves, trying to understand what we did wrong, but no matter how much we think or how hard we try to understand-- We can only rebuild and try to compensate for what we have lost, but we will never be the same.

9/11 will always be talked about, it will always be remembered for those who lost their lives trying to escape or just trying to save another life. These people, these two structures, this statement that divided the world in two will never be forgotten.