Today I begin a 4-day book fair staged in a local Army hospital. It is one of the military bases from where many of our soldiers are deployed overseas to fight the war in Iraq. Many of my customers will be the staff who care for those returning with injuries, whether they be physical or emotional. Some will also be the soldiers.
Three months ago, I had been in this same facility conducting another book fair. An incident happened that clearly showed me how these soldiers continue to live in some way with the trauma of fighting a war. I had been blowing up some helium balloons to use with my display. I unintentionally overfilled a mylar balloon. To my surprise along with everyone else's present in the area, it exploded. The sound echoed loudly in the tiled atrium hallway--to my embarrassment. In an instant, I realized it sounded like gunshot, as did all the others. With a racing heart, I cried out, "It's only a balloon--it's not a gun!" I could tell by the wide-eyed expressions on many faces, that was exactly what they were reacting to. One soldier commented, "With most people here suffering from PTSD, you're lucky we didn't all hit the floor!" I put away the helium and left the display balloon-less.
This week, I am honored to serve those who are serving our country. Please return to this blog each day to read about the soldiers whom I will talk to.
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