Accidental patriot: hero of my own soul

People call me a hero..  They give me thanks for fighting for our country.  And I appreciate it..  I love our country and I would do it all over again if I could, however, I am a hero not because I saved someone or acted bravely in combat..  I am a hero because I did not let my circumstances dictate who I would become.

I elected to fight because I knew that if I stayed I would have become a no one.

I was not by myself..  I fought for myself with a lot of people that were fighting for themselves as well, together fighting for a greater purpose that at least in my case was not clearly understood. We became accidental patriots. Heroes of our country we might be, but Heroes of our own soul we are without a doubt.

To this day we still fight..