Letting These Boots Go Part 1

I wore these boots for two decades.Whether shiny black or desert tan. Through sun and snow, soaking wet or frozen solid. Dusty dry or so muddy it was an effort to move each leg forward. But always moving they were on all tasks and missions assigned for failure was Never an option. These boots belong to me and hundreds of thousand others. These are the boots of what is now called the legacy force. For myself and all who sacrificed, served and dedicated their lives to serving this nation. From the Cold War, Desert Storm, Bosnia, Kosovo and Iraq. Protecting all that we chose to stand in front of and safe guard. To protect with everything even if it meant for some boots to make no further prints. These are the boots I wore. I learned the way of these boots well. Time and time again in times of peace and times of war. I let them guide never questioning. One hundred and ten percent dedication. These boots dictated my life and I let them. For they required it and I accepted that. These boots travelled me around the world seeing many sites which many can only dream of. Countless people I have conversed with and tried to gain as much knowledge and wisdom as I could gather. I have never questioned this until recently. At the end of as long hard trail filled with many hard times. I have chosen to lay these boots aside. For the older legs that now fill them had trouble bearing the weight which they represent. The act of unlacing and storing is not easy. For although I had many a battle buddy, friend, ally say" go on old man and live your life you have given enough no more should be asked of any man" Neither the boots nor I were ready to go easy. Because we travelled so long together we had become one.