Reunions
Mia and I travelled cross country for almost 2 weeks while enjoying the beauty and history of various states. Once we reached Illinois, anxiety set in; we were almost home and being a Jersey girl at heart, I drove with that focus in mind.
On July 12th, 2011, in the early morning hours, we arrived at Uncle Frank's house. My brother and I had been living apart for 10 years and we looked forward to our reunion. As we grew older, we valued our relationship more and learned to respect each other's opinions, even when we disagreed. Our sister, Marlene, passed away in 2003 and knowing we only had each other, made us really appreciate our time together. This, in turn, made Mom happy because, as with most moms, she emphasizes a united front.
However, this summer, our time in Jersey would be short since I was leaving on Friday for my 20th year Gulf War reunion and Mia was leaving for her 3 week camp the following Sunday. My good friend, Harold Giraldo, in whom I entrusted Mia's safety, would be dropping her off at camp in Massachusetts, but not before ensuring she was settled in and comfortable.
I was looking forward to seeing some of the members of the 424th Transportation Company, especially my good friends, Larrowe aka Sunshine Blonde and Trost aka Louie Lou.
In the Gulf, Burns (my BFF) and I agreed to remain, "always united and never divided" and this day would be no different.
While driving, I recalled my 25th year high school reunion which occurred last year. It had been a magical evening and we were all taken back to carefree days which many of us hoped would last forever. By the evening's end, we agreed not to allow such a lengthy period of time to keep us from reuniting. That December, we held another event and hoped the momentum would continue.
It seems the Gulf War reunion sentiments would be similar. Upon seeing fellow Comrades-in-Arms, smiles, kisses and hugs abounded as we remembered the good and bad times. Hearing Kitts speak about the challenges we faced overseas and later, Jones' explanation of the unique bonds formed, affirmed the way many of us felt. Once again, camaraderie prevailed as future reunions were discussed.
Reunions are incredible blessings and serve to remind us of times we overcame and memories that are second to none. It is with this thought that I close and state how privileged I feel as a Torres family member, growing up in Union City, New Jersey and later serving this great country in the Persian Gulf War.
