![\"Marine](\"http:\/\/www.tomgrimshaw.com\/tomsblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/Marine_At_Attention-261x300.jpg\")
<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
A nurse took the tired, anxious serviceman to the bedside. \u201cYour son is here,\u201d she said to the old man. She had to repeat the words several times before the patient\u2019s eyes opened.<\/p>\n
Heavily sedated because of the pain of his heart attack, he dimly saw the young uniformed Marine standing outside the oxygen tent. He reached out his hand. The Marine wrapped his toughened fingers around the old man\u2019s limp ones, squeezing a message of love and encouragement.<\/p>\n
The nurse brought a chair so that the Marine could sit beside the bed. All through the night the young Marine sat there in the poorly lighted ward, holding the old man\u2019s hand and offering him words of love and strength. Occasionally, the nurse suggested that the Marine move away and rest awhile. He refused.<\/p>\n
Whenever the nurse came into the ward, the Marine was oblivious of her and of the night noises of the hospital – the clanking of the oxygen tank, the laughter of the night staff members exchanging greetings, the cries and moans of the other patients. Now and then she heard him say a few gentle words. The dying man said nothing, only held tightly to his son all through the night.<\/p>\n
Along towards dawn, the old man died. The Marine released the now lifeless hand he had been holding and went to tell the nurse. While she did what she had to do, he waited.<\/p>\n
Finally, she returned. She started to offer words of sympathy, but the Marine interrupted her, \u201cWho was that man?\u201d he asked.<\/p>\n
The nurse was startled, \u201cHe was your father,\u201d she answered.<\/p>\n
\u201cNo, he wasn\u2019t,\u201d the Marine replied. \u201cI never saw him before in my life.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThen why didn\u2019t you say something when I took you to him?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI knew right away there had been a mistake, but I also knew he needed his son, and his son just wasn\u2019t here. When I realized that he was too sick to tell whether or not I was his son, knowing how much he needed me, I stayed. I came here tonight to find a Mr. William Grey. His Son was killed in Iraq today, and I was sent to inform him. What was this gentleman\u2019s name? \u201c<\/p>\n
The nurse with tears in her eyes answered, \u201cMr. William Grey.\u201d<\/p>\n
The next time someone needs you, just be there.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
A nurse took the tired, anxious serviceman to the bedside. \u201cYour son is here,\u201d she said to the old man. She had to repeat the words several times before the patient\u2019s eyes opened. Heavily sedated because of the pain of his heart attack, he dimly saw the young uniformed Marine standing outside the oxygen tent. … <\/p>\n