My Enemy Is Unknown

in war you need to know where your enemies are to protect your borders

some of these borders are fictitious lines drawn in vast sand

The lines change throughout the decades and centuries depending on who is the most dominant nation

The enemies wear different uniforms and they are identified as so

but the enemy also has eyes and a face and a body the same as I have with pumping blood through my veins and the fear of devastation to myself my people and my land

this person is a son a brother an uncle most of all they are a human being

how do I look at this person in the way you would look at an enemy when they are so similar to me but merely in a different representation of their nation in their culture and their beliefs

these borders suddenly seem silly now and the notion of hurting this person in front of me seems ridiculous for how can I hurt this other human being how much do I have to sacrifice of myself to give up for my nations security

when your life can be taken in a moment everything changes and what you see as anger and vengeance becomes sympathy and respect for humanity

how could I be the first one to put up my gun and face it towards this other person I have no choice but to do what I have to do to be the father the brother uncle the person that needs me back home

 This horrifying concept of war has left me in a daunting position of trying to balance regular life with the horrific disasters that are forever in the Back of my mind haunting me

I lye down peacefully in my bed and I look at my wife silently sleeping satisfied that her family is now back together

 Things could've changed in an instant but somehow I managed to get back and I know that I am back for a reason that I made it for a reason through this nightmare 

There for the grace of God go I forever I will say to myself before my slumber comes…