The video an Army veteran, Seth, posted to Facebook moved me to tears. He was in a nearby hospital due to an infection, but in the video he talked about overcoming drug addiction and homelessness. I told my daughter, “I really want to meet this guy.”
I called the hospital to ask about visiting before we headed over. What I thought would just be a 30-minute conversation lasted nearly three hours. Seth told us about his struggle to get help for PTSD and how that drove him to help other veterans. My daughter and I had a few questions. Mostly we listened.
I’ll never fully understand what veterans go through,but I was grateful for this opportunity to learn. It seemed to help Seth too—as if some of the weight lifted from his shoulders as he talked.
A lot of veterans have stories to tell. Why not stop by your local VA hospital to ask if any of them could use a friendly ear?
Check out volunteer.va.gov to find out how you can help.
Learn more about Someone Cares greeting cards!
Did you enjoy this story? Subscribe to Guideposts magazine.
