Haha! She's going to be so pissed at me when she see's what picture I used of her!
"Gather round children and let grandpa tell you the story of how he met your grandmother. Oh, and let grandpa also tell you how much of a war hero he is too!" This could be me someday saying this exact thing. Well, definitely the part about me being a war hero. But also about how I met "grandma"! I mean, if I ever end up marrying the girl I'm with now anyways. Her name is Balqees. She's originally from Iraq. But she'll be the first to tell you she's an American! I wouldn't claim that country either honey :) Ha! We met for the first time in Baghdad. And the amazing journey that me and this woman have taken is an incredible one! Like they should write a movie about it or something. So here goes.
Eight years ago, on a patrol during my first week in Baghdad, me and my squad came across a very friendly family who lived in a beautiful home overlooking the Tigris river. The father of the family was a lawyer and a very intelligent, caring man who asked us if we'd like to come up to his house for tea and a quick visit. After walking around for two hours with eighty pounds of gear on in one-hundred plus degree heat we looked for any excuse to sit down and take a break, so we obliged.
As I walked up to the house I noticed that he had daughters. Beautiful daughters! But there was one that stood out to me. Her name was Balqees. She had long black hair, dark eyes, spoke amazing English, and was absolutely gorgeous. We talked the entire time that I was there. And although I had made an instant connection with her, I never thought anything more would come of it. I was in a war zone after all! But it turns out that I was wrong.
She was a translator for the U.S. Army. And because of this, she was allowed access to the guarded sector in which I stayed. A place called the green zone. So we began talking every chance that we got! And soon after, we started to fall in love. She was the only connection I had to any sort of human emotion. In a sea of hate, in a place where evil prevails and the worst of humanity is brought out, she was my light. She kept me connected to who I was before, to my human side. So then I started needing her. After a mission or a patrol, I'd return back to the palace where I was staying, wash up, then sneak out into the enemy sector, by myself at times and usually under the cover of darkness, just to visit her. I'd skirt along the river bank to get to her house. It was very risky. But well worth the reward! We spent many nights together, among an array of gunfire and explosions, sharing our love for one another.
But then I received orders to leave Iraq. My time was up. We spent the whole last day together. It was a very emotional one. In the back of our minds I think we both thought that this would be the last time we'd ever see each other again. I flew out of Iraq the next day. And over the next eight years I lived my life never thinking I'd see her again, but never forgetting who she was or what she made me feel either. We shared a love unlike any other. A bond that could never be broken. We loved one another in war. And what she meant to me during my hour of darkness is more than she will ever know.
Over the years we sporadically kept in contact. Sometimes we'd go years without speaking. But then, a few years ago, she moved to America. Washington D.C. to be exact. We began talking again. And suddenly, all of my old feelings began to resurface. And about a year ago she moved to Dallas, Texas. And on Saturday night I saw her again for the first time since Iraq. Eight years had passed and she was even more beautiful than I remembered. We started right where we left off. And now, she's my girlfriend and someone that I have always cared deeply about. I'm not sure where the future will lead us, but I'm grateful that she's back in my life! So long single life! Good riddance…
