March 2026 Slice of Life, No. 9
“Our debt to the heroic men and valiant women in the service of our country can never be repaid.”
— President Harry S. Truman
I sit down at my departure gate to wait for our boarding call. Across from me sits a man. His head is shaved smooth. And though he is a young man, his face is weathered, etched with sad lines.
His eyes are distant, seeing things I don’t see.
His body’s too lean beneath his military fatigues; his shoulders slumped forward. And I wonder what weight they carry.
His hand lies ringless on the airport seat.
Against his leg rests a stainless steel cane with a battleship gray handle.
He rises from the seat slowly, unfolding himself with the help of his cane. And he stands motionless for a moment as if adjusting to a familiar pain.
He looks my way. I smile. A smile flickers through his eyes and plays briefly across his haggard features.
He moves away.
I wonder about the pain he has borne.
The pain he still bears.
The pain in his body.
The pain in his mind.
The pain in his heart.
It is a great price that he has paid for me, that I might live free.
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Your description and your pondering had me right there in the moment with you. You have blessed this young man in a beautiful tribute, with gratitude and honor.
Thank you for sharing this reminder of the great price of freedom. These men and women are not just pictures on the TV; they are someone’s family member, and their lives can be forever changed.
We do not realize the price others have paid for us to enjoy the freedoms we have.
This is a powerful slice. You’ve painted the picture with such carefully chosen and painful details. Your title says it all.
You are such an observant person which comes through in this slice. You describe this man from head to toe and then add your inner thinking about meeting him through that smile exchange. And now you will have me thinking today of all who serve my country. Beautifully written slice.
Thank you for a thoughtful tribute to all who serve. (My father served in the US Army, my husband served in both the US Air Force and US Army. and my son in the US Marines.)