Brian's Difference

My mother gave me Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson some time ago repeatedly suggesting that I read it. Following the June 25, 2009 death of my best friend, a 1st Lieutenant in the Army, by an I.E.D. in Afghanistan, the thought of reading a book regarding that region of the world, regardless of how wonderful and positivity-laced a read it may be, was too painful an action to bear.

I voiced my concerns yet my mom continued to suggest it, feeling that it might provide some healing. Six months following his death, I finally picked up the book. And, as she suggested, it has given me a deeper sense of appreciation, love and admiration for Brian.

Brian entered the Army to make a difference. While an immensely skilled soldier, his real concern had nothing to do with fighting but rather about bringing equality to all corners of the world. He would request we send candy, pencils, simple items to give to children he met traveling through the country. Simple items to, even momentarily, lift their spirits and allow them see that Americans could be kind rather than deadly.

In Three Cups of Tea, Greg Mortenson describes traveling to Kabul following September 11, 2001. He begins by telling of visiting medical school classrooms where five hundred students shared ten books, miraculously saved from the Taliban-enfored book burnings of all material containing physical illustrations. He continues his travels to a cluster of villages to examine the state of the area's schools. The children lacked walled schools, instead learning in bombed out, rusting shipping containers...that is the boys did. The girls braved the elements sitting outside in the whipping Afghan wind with a complete lack of any learning materials. Mortenson's companion, reporter Julia Bergman, comments "'Everywhere we went, we saw U.S. planes and helicopters. And I can only imagine the money we were spending on our military. But where was the aid? I'd heard so much about what America promised Afghanistan's people whil I was at home-how rebuilding the country was one of our top priorities. But being there, and seeing so little evidence of help for Afghanistan's children, particularly from the United States, was really embarassing and frustrating for me."

Brian was helping and, I know for a fact, taught his men to help. An incredibly considerate, understanding soul, Brian did all he could to go above and beyond his assigned role to make a difference. It lifts a little grief to know that there are children and individuals in Afghanistan who were possibly consoled, even just a little, by the kind American.