Dear Mom and Dad,
Blessings upon you both during this great month of birthdays for our
family. If we were all collected up near Lee's Summit, I'd suggest we'd drop by
Unity Village for a birthday brunch in the cafeteria and then a stroll
around the grounds.
It just dawned on me right now how the layout of the place made for a lot of options on a summer day: like how you could take in the dazzling sun and brilliance of the rose garden and the big fountains (with some of the spray being blown on you. I even remember the smell of the water that had coursed through those ancient water pipes).
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A Soldier Remembers
While serving in Iraq, Sgt. Robert Mills of the Missouri Army Guard sent the following letter to his family, remembering carefree childhood days at Unity Village. We are honored to print this as a reminder of the spirit that unites us all.
You could walk around in the sun like this for a while, then, when the summer heat started to get you a little sweaty, there were those amazingly cool airy spots to sit around those tables on the north side under the roofed but open veranda. Or if you really needed a lot cooler, go down the steps to the benches under the big trees between the rose garden and the cafeteria. I might be ready again for a cold drink by this time and man, how I enjoyed a nice cool piece of coconut cream pie with a glass of cold milk.
The place is an endless series of nice peaceful spots; a more secluded one that I also enjoyed was the little quiet spot about 30 meters northeast of the cafeteria parking lot, which has a small area with some benches and vine-covered trellises for shade with some small plantings of little flowers. The spot has a name like “the Myrtle Fillmore Garden.” It's so peaceful and quiet that I've sat down there on the bench and nodded off.
Well, thanks for having a birthday and the opportunity to take a little imagery trip with you all. Out on the routes at night, we stop occasionally and blackout our lights; just about every soldier I've ridden with remarks sometime about how the stars are so prominent in the more rural area of our northern route.
It's similar to the good nights of viewing I remember out in your backyard there in '96. Watching the vast arm of the Milky Way galaxy that wraps around our solar system—streak of meteorite plume every few minutes. Well, I have to get back to work now, but it's been good pausing across time and distance with you all. Have a great birthday. See you all pretty soon.
Much Love and Respect,
Robert
Sgt. Robert Mills
The place is an endless series of nice peaceful spots; a more secluded one that I also enjoyed was the little quiet spot about 30 meters northeast of the cafeteria parking lot, which has a small area with some benches and vine-covered trellises for shade with some small plantings of little flowers. The spot has a name like “the Myrtle Fillmore Garden.” It's so peaceful and quiet that I've sat down there on the bench and nodded off.
Well, thanks for having a birthday and the opportunity to take a little imagery trip with you all. Out on the routes at night, we stop occasionally and blackout our lights; just about every soldier I've ridden with remarks sometime about how the stars are so prominent in the more rural area of our northern route.
It's similar to the good nights of viewing I remember out in your backyard there in '96. Watching the vast arm of the Milky Way galaxy that wraps around our solar system—streak of meteorite plume every few minutes. Well, I have to get back to work now, but it's been good pausing across time and distance with you all. Have a great birthday. See you all pretty soon.
Much Love and Respect,
Robert
Sgt. Robert Mills
Sgt. Mills has now returned from Iraq. He recently provided a brief update about his work and how Unity principles guide him.
I visit Unity Village in person as often as I can, but am never really separated from it even when I'm at other points on the globe. I am providing a bit of background about what I do and hope that all those who sustain Unity know how important it is as an inspiring and enduring part of my life.
My vocation for the last eight years, in both my Army Guard duty and my civilian job, is as a medic. I went to Iraq with my Missouri Army Guard unit in November of 2005. It was very rewarding duty. I was tasked with accompanying U.S. Army Combat Engineers on their patrols of the main Iraq highways. They were charged with clearing the Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) – the deadliest weapons in use by the insurgents.
For every IED that we prevented from detonating on passers-by, an average of 1.7 lives was saved. … With numerous patrols per day, this amounted to thousands of IEDs found/destroyed and subsequently thousands of human lives not lost and tens of thousands fewer folks injured by these devices.
This is why you bother to have a medic, like myself, included on every patrol. The hardest losses I experienced were when two of my own platoon members were killed before my eyes (instantly). Both were terrific soldiers, with multiple re-enlistments each. Longtime volunteers who insisted on leading the way and doing their part. This was a terrible loss of two vibrant (and very funny) soldiers and family men. All together, my battalion lost four soldiers to enemy fire across my first year.
An amazing thing happens after the mourning; soldiers put their gear back on and hop on the next mission going out. I don't remember a single soldier who didn't dig down and resolve to continue the mission and take the fight to the enemy with renewed intention and yet still do the right thing and avoid harming the noncombatants and civilians. Our soldiers also continued to try to route donated supplies to schools and the local communities. Amazing. While insurgents tried their best to destroy all hope, it was not to be.
As you may know from your work at Unity, it is a powerful and addictive feeling to be available with the right skill set at the right moment, in service of a good work. Unity is an ideal and a reality that I can always concentrate on when I seek to refresh my faith in the best of our human nature.
My vocation for the last eight years, in both my Army Guard duty and my civilian job, is as a medic. I went to Iraq with my Missouri Army Guard unit in November of 2005. It was very rewarding duty. I was tasked with accompanying U.S. Army Combat Engineers on their patrols of the main Iraq highways. They were charged with clearing the Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) – the deadliest weapons in use by the insurgents.
For every IED that we prevented from detonating on passers-by, an average of 1.7 lives was saved. … With numerous patrols per day, this amounted to thousands of IEDs found/destroyed and subsequently thousands of human lives not lost and tens of thousands fewer folks injured by these devices.
This is why you bother to have a medic, like myself, included on every patrol. The hardest losses I experienced were when two of my own platoon members were killed before my eyes (instantly). Both were terrific soldiers, with multiple re-enlistments each. Longtime volunteers who insisted on leading the way and doing their part. This was a terrible loss of two vibrant (and very funny) soldiers and family men. All together, my battalion lost four soldiers to enemy fire across my first year.
An amazing thing happens after the mourning; soldiers put their gear back on and hop on the next mission going out. I don't remember a single soldier who didn't dig down and resolve to continue the mission and take the fight to the enemy with renewed intention and yet still do the right thing and avoid harming the noncombatants and civilians. Our soldiers also continued to try to route donated supplies to schools and the local communities. Amazing. While insurgents tried their best to destroy all hope, it was not to be.
As you may know from your work at Unity, it is a powerful and addictive feeling to be available with the right skill set at the right moment, in service of a good work. Unity is an ideal and a reality that I can always concentrate on when I seek to refresh my faith in the best of our human nature.
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Thank you
3/27/2009 10:59:38 AM
Thank you so much for your service!
3/24/2009 7:16:13 AM
Twelve Spiritual Tools
for Abundant Living:
A Journey for 2010
Are you wanting to feel more fulfilled, centered and in charge of your life? Did you know that you already possess 12 spiritual gifts that can help you live the life of your dreams?
Beginning in January, a variety of free resources will be posted each month to help you discover and utilize these 12 spiritual gifts. Join us on the journey at www.unity.org/12Powers.
