Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around.
- Leo Buscaglia


Wednesday, March 28, 2012

A Stronger Connection

     Today was the day for me to send my monthly care package to my adopted soldier in Afghanistan.    As you may remember, for the first 2 months, I didn't hear anything back from my soldier.  When it came time to send him care packages, I didn't know what he wanted/needed and so I sent pre-made packages through the Soldiers' Angels website.  Now that we're in regular communication, today's experience felt entirely different for me.
     Earlier this week I sent an e-mail to my soldier (I'll call him "L.") asking what he'd like to have.  The two things he asked for were powdered drink mix (like Kool-Aid) and peanut butter.  He said they have plenty of water, but it's nice to taste some flavor once in a while.  Off to Wegman's I went.
     I picked up a couple of different types of drink mix (Kool-Aid and lemonade), as well as some various breakfast bars for snacks.  Then I got a jar of peanut butter as he had requested.  When I got home, I packaged everything together along with a copy of my book (L. mentioned that he wanted to read it), taped it up, and went to the post office.  Other than filling out a customs form, I learned that there's actually nothing different about sending a package to a soldier overseas than sending one to a friend or family member in the States.  
     It really did feel completely different to be shopping for specific things that I know L. wants and would appreciate, and then going through the process of mailing them off myself.  I definitely felt much more connected to him in a positive kind of way.  While ordering a package over the internet is certainly convenient, it left me feeling detached.  Of course, not known anything about L. also no doubt contributed to this feeling.  Either way, it's great to know that he'll soon be getting a care package of just what he wants.

1 comment:

  1. I am a military wife and I can't tell you what the Nation's support means to me and my family. Thank you for thinking about the military and bringing to light the website you did. Being deployed can be such a lonely disorienting thing for them, anything from home is a BIG DEAL!!

    Thanks again,
    Amanda

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