The author recounts driving back from Georgia with his son, an Army soldier recently returned from a year-long deployment in Afghanistan. During the long drive, the son opened up about his experiences, giving the author a new perspective on the sacrifices made by soldiers. The author was surprised by all his son endured during deployment and gained a profound appreciation for what soldiers go through to protect the country's freedom.

1. A Different Perspective.
by S.W. Seeds | on January 21, 2013
Over the past few days, I have had the honor and privilege of spending time with an
Army soldier who just returned from a year long deployment to Afghanistan. This
soldier is my son.
We just drove back from Georgia, where he is currently stationed and lives with his
wife. The drive is a little over a thousand miles, so needless to say, we had plenty of
opportunity to talk.
It wasn’t too long into our trip when my son started to open up and share some of
what he had experienced this past year. It became immediately clear that this young
man had experienced more in one single year than what my wife and I have
experienced in our combined 100 years of life!
There was experience after experience relayed, as I listened with the utmost
attention. I have to admit, at times all I wanted to do was pull over to the side of the
road so I could just sit and listen to what he had to say.
I still can’t believe some of the things my son has shared with me. Not that I doubt
even for a second what he was saying, but rather the magnitude of what he had
experienced was just so amazing.
I personally can’t imagine how I would have been able to handle even half of what this
brave young man went through. I can only hope that if I ever was placed in some type
of this situation, through God’s grace I would also get through, though I have my
sincere doubts.
I only thought that I had an appreciation for all the young men and women who serve
our country each and every day. It wasn’t until this talk that I began to have a real
appreciation for all they go through.
As I look back over the past year, I am a bit embarrassed to realize that any situation I
have personally endured fails by comparison to what my own son had to endure. At
the end of a “really bad day”, I had the luxury of going home to the love and support of
my wife and family. My son, along with all the other men and women in Afghanistan,

2. did not have any such luxury.
Ironically, if it weren’t for those same men and women’s sacrifices, none of the rest of
us would have any such luxuries to begin with. The price of freedom is paid for all by
the brave soldiers who have made the sacrifice to protect our country. I owe a debt of
thanks to each and every one of them.
A different perspective? Nothing in life is free. Someone always pays the price for
others to live a life of FREEdom! Therefore, it is not only our right to live a life of
freedom, it is our responsibility to make the most of the freedom in which others have
paved the way for us!
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