A SOLDIER DEALS WITH TRIGGERS by Jamie and Jessica You and your troop are walking slowly, carefully through the field. Others, before you, have said to watch out for the time-bombs and mind fields. You just don't know where they are. You feel vulnerable, your uniform, training, and ammunition don't provide any protection. You feel glad to be in the company of your troop so you don't have to do it alone. Yet you realize that there is even more risk traveling in a group, Someone else, on your right side or left side may step on a bomb. You may be affected or injured just by being in the wrong place at the right time. And yet you're powerless cause you have no way of knowing or controlling where and when others will step. You realize with trepidation, the only way out is through. And then you step and you hear the click. And you know you're the one who's stepped onto the mine. You close your eyes and hold your foot in place. You know if you move that your life will be all over. Your anger and fear starts to rise. What do you do? Do you yell at your troop members for leading you there? Do you blame them and feel like you were set up? Do you think they should have protected you or taken care of you? Then you remember, you chose to become a member of the troop. After all, no one in the troop would set up mind fields or chose to walk in this awful place. You must put the blame on the enemy, the perps who set these things up. And yet somewhere in your heart you knew it was only a matter of time before you encountered the mind fields. With apprehension you realize that you need your troop's help. You can't get out without them. Do you really want to be left alone? Maybe one of them has been through and survived a previous mind field and knows what to do. Then you remember, your captain, the one named Therp, miraculously he knows how to deactivate bombs. Thankfully, he's had years and years of training. Although the fear is still there, you start to relax and know you'll get through. You look up into the sky, take a deep breath, pick up your radio, and call your Therp. Its time to trust and time to take care of yourself.