Tulsi Emails From Iraq
KITV 6pm News, May 20, 2005

“Living in Hawaii, blue skies, awesome beaches, great surf, going to school, being a legislator, stressing out about this or that…everything I have seen, heard, and experienced here makes all of that seem so petty and unimportant in comparison. The reality of your heart jumping when a mortar or rocket comes in, the reality of the suffocating heat (we hit 99 degrees the other day…no trade winds here), the reality of carrying a weapon with live rounds wherever you go … just in case. Not to make light of the problems that we have at home or challenges we face there, but being out here and seeing the problems and challenges an Iraqi family faces, puts a “bigger picture” perspective on everything. I think if everyone could experience this, they would appreciate so much more what we have, and focus on the more important things in life.”

“I don’t want to make this a super heavy e-mail, but I’m sure you’ve probably heard by now that we (the 29th BCT) had our first KIA recently. It’s terrible. Even though the guy wasn’t from Hawaii, I think everyone has felt very sad, somber, and like a piece is missing, for losing one of our own. It really makes you sit down and re-evaluate things, think about life. There is a big sign posted in our camp here that says, “Is Today The Day.” Today could be the day for any one of us. You never know.”

Take care,

Tulsi

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