Adam Knox

http://rilf.godengo.com/November-2011/Our-worst-fears-have-come-true/

This article, written by Tom Knox, is about Tom’s brother Adam who died while serving in the army in Iraq. Adam was in the army as a person who would work with Iraqi citizens and leaders to try and maintain good relations between them and the US soldiers. He was shot by a sniper in Baghdad. The sadness that was in the article acts as a representation for the sadness felt by thousands of American families over the years who have heard the bad news. One of the main ideas in the article was about how to deal with the death of a loved one. The author struggled with wondering whether he should always think about his brother and feel sad, or sometimes try to forget and move on. The only person close to me who has ever died was my grandmother a few years ago. I also struggled with this for the time after her death. It is hard to always think about a deceased love one because it brings feelings of sadness but there is also that feeling of guilt in trying to forget. Towards the end of the article, the author begins to write about how he is going to move on. His brother died over five years ago and having Adam out of his life has become the new norm. I think humans have the natural ability to be able to cope with death and adapt to new situations. Like the narrator, I have gotten used to my grandma being out of my life, and driving down to Atlanta twice a year is now something that me and my family do not do. Last week, the Iraq war came to its official close. I wonder how the families of soldiers who were killed in the line of duty feel knowing that the war was not very successful. Do they feel as if their children, brothers, spouses, and parents died in vain? I think that this is a curious subject that will come to light in the coming years.