“The Few, The Proud, With Wings”

December 11, 2006

 

Krista Murphy, Michael’s niece, remembers her Uncle Mike each year through her beautiful writings.

 

THE MAN, NOT THE LEGEND

It’s finally time to remember the man under the medal.  To remember when you think back to his laugh, not his orders.  To think of him when looking at a trailer in Pennsylvania, and not the American flag.  To think of the times, his favorite times, with his family, not his men. 

He died for this country, but it’s hard to believe it was in his last thoughts!  No, you’ll find his family there.  He lived for a rush, he lived to fly.  But as an adult, I find it hard to imagine that he was willing to die for it.  It was his job.  We all have jobs.  We are not willing to die for them, though it happens.  The teacher that gets shot in school, the bank teller who gets held up.  No, those people weren’t willing to die.  Of course he loved the Marines.  Those wings ran through his blood.  He had passion.  We all do.  The people who write books or play music.  They live for it.  The chef who spends hours on the smallest detail will live for those details.  Passion is something worth dying for and he did.  But his uniform was a part of him.  Something he removed at the end of each day and became the man. 

Who, for me, is far more the legend that the legend he ever was.

Once again, I propose a request, and will do so every year.  On this day, December 11th, do something kind for someone else.  While it may be difficult to think of others in need, it will help you feel better.  It will make our men in Heaven proud that we did something to make the world a better place, with them in mind of course.  They are there with you always, especially today.  They are in your heart and in the heart of others.  Reach out and touch someone’s life and it might, just maybe, let a piece of acceptance back into your life.  It’ll be your own way of changing your life.

In memory of Michael Murphy, Keith Sweaney, Avely Runnels, and Jason Buyck.  Semper Fi!

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Revised 12/11/06