Just like nature, you have to respect a veteran.
Nature can change in a heartbeat, so can a veteran, so you have to prepare yourself to deal with both.
Nature can be warm and gentle, so can a veteran.
A veteran like a Pacific salmon has endured many storms, and yet return to his home turf.
Like the bear, a veteran knows where he/she came from.
Like the mountains, even though it could be covered with clouds, a veterans always stands tall.
When we walk in the forest, we are aware of our surroundings, what is in the forest, the sounds and the smell. We have to be aware of the veterans mind, body and soul.
To walk with a veteran, and to thank them, just like thanking nature to all she offers for us to live, so does the veteran, he/she has offered their life for this great country of ours, so that we can live in peace.
It is our job to take care of mother nature, as she will always take care of us, now it is our turn to take of the veteran(s).
— George J. Bennett Sr.
• The Capital City Weekly, which runs in the Juneau Empire’s Thursday editions, accepts submissions of poetry, fiction and nonfiction for Writers’ Weir. To submit a piece for consideration, email editor@juneauempire.com.
