Few men dare to be proud of the tears they shed. Today I was among this group of few. Of course they were tears of joy, passion, and understanding. Why? I will forgo divulging names to respect the privacy of my fellow young servicemen. Months ago I had the opportunity to visit a newly injured soldier and his family. It was an eerie reminder of where I was once, barely coherent and struggling for life. Unbelievably so this young man’s injuries were worse than mine, this chilling fact apparent at first glance.

With my game face on I did the best I could to provide a few words of encouragement and convey what brightness the future held. I left the room shaken and concerned for this brave warrior. From my understanding after a long fight he became healthy enough to transfer to another facility to begin the next stage of his therapy. Today I had the honor to see him one again, months later. Before me was a new man and a healthy body.

Feats like this are no short of a miracle. I liken it to an artistic masterpiece. Before him stands a blank canvas. Only his supreme vision could turn nothing into a priceless masterpiece. Before all else was a blank symbol of doubt. I know I could not transform and complete such a vision. That’s what I felt when I saw this man, others, and myself. Simply put we were messes, total disaster of scarred flesh, missing body parts, and alien equipment. Not even a gambling man would say that we’d live.

Yet, here we are. Complete. Healthy and transformed. It was a monumental task that required hundreds of people, millions of dollars, and thousands of resources. Here we stand as God’s greatest masterpiece; human life!

This is why I proudly shed tears.