a promise fulfilled

May 22, 2010

l.m.d.‘s rose (Compassion), planted May 2009 for me as a gesture of solidarity for my work/it bloomed the day the last ones came in from outside the wire/May 2010

I promised them that I’d witness.

I promised that I’d go all the way with 1VP from Shilo to Afghanistan if I could.

I promised not to judge them.

I promised that they could see my notebook with all it’s half-baked ideas, it’s dreck, maybe a good line or two. that they could watch a process. that they could see I wouldn’t blade them if they let me have a peek inside their world.

I tried to show them that artists and soldiers (and the two are not mutually exclusive) share some fundamentals.

I received thousands of contacts from them, their families. from the public. the media. the hunger for knowledge of this world and the place called war.

I promised I’d try and feed a little bit of that hunger in as real time as possible.

it has been amazing. it has been tough. I’ve seen/heard/tasted/smelled their life.
I’ve felt failure, fear, elation. my life has been altered forever by those who have shown great courage, I have witnessed great courage (my child’s, my mother’s especially). I have felt the cold blade (not from them). but learned from the infantry how to carry on in spite of it. to give it my best shot.

I promised them that I’d witness.

I promised that I’d go all the way with them from Shilo to Afghanistan if I could.

I promised not to judge them.

I’ve done my job.

I’ve dismantled the site because now the real writing begins. I need rest. I need to dream. someday I hope I’ll be able to walk that beautiful country.

best,

sms