Tomorrow.

Tomorrow I will be attending a funeral for a person I never met. Even though I have never met him, my love and appreciation for him and his family flows from my heart as freely as the tears from my eyes.

Being a sister to a Marine, I understand the apprehension, tears, pride, worry and frustration that accompanies sending a loved one off into the unknown. What I am unendingly thankful for, is that I have never had to feel the burning ache of losing that loved one. My little brother came home in one piece all three times I said goodbye. For that I am ever thankful.

I really don't even know what words I can type that can truly emulate the heartache I feel for a complete stranger. The best I could do was hug Will, utter "thank you" through my tears and send him off to another city with a small pocket pack of Kleenex, for his own use, as he escorts one of his brothers to his final resting place.

My day off tomorrow will be filled with tears, strangers and heartache, but I would do it again and again. It is the least I can do to say thank you.