January, 2005

Channel 4 tonight showcased the impact of comas and brain damage on people who have woken up from a coma or suffered brain injuries. The show portrayed Roy, who was a victim of an accident that resulted in some frontal lobe damage. Damage to this part of his brain, the doctors on the show say, has resulted on his loss of all passion for life; he was no longer bothered about his wife and child, and ultimately, lost the ability to love or feel anything for them – or for anything.

Dear God, for all that I have ever said about my brain and all that is wrong with it, I would rather have this one and experience every single thing that comes my way, than lose the ability to feel; good, bad and everything else in between. Please forgive me for ever complaining about what I go through dealing with the demons that I cannot see. Amin.

While Col. Craig Harriman (David Straithairn) was anxiously waiting for his men to return from their bombing mission, he stumbles upon Lt. Col. Bruce Derringer (John Lithgow), the Army PR Man, busy getting men decorating a hall to salute the return of the crew of Memphis Belle. The movie sees Harriman usher Derringer into his office, and in a bid to prove that he cared about every single man out there fighting in the skies, Harriman makes Derringer read letters he has received from the families of those who died defending their country. The subsequent scene shows footage of plans during WWII, as the backdrop for the following letters:

“Dear Col. Harriman,

I want to thank you for the letter about my son Tommy. He was only at the base for a month, but he must have made a big impression because you describe him right down to his boots. I wish you could have told me how Tommy died, but I guess we have to be careful about security and all. I’m glad he was brave and did his job to the end; maybe his mother and I raised him right after all. I guess we’ll get used to him being gone, but not too soon, I hope. I can always read your letter and that will bring him back..”

“Dear Sir

Your letter of December 10 finally made me realise that my husband is gone. I have been living in the false hopes that the telegram I received was a mistake. ”

“Dear Sir,

I am writing on behalf of my parents, who appreciated your letter about my brother’s death. We were all glad to know that Frank didn’t suffer, and was not alone when he died. ”

“I saw him off at the train station when he left to go overseas. He was happy and excited to be doing something important with his life. He couldn’t stop looking at the stripes on his shoulder.”

“I hope that when this is all over, the whole world would learn there’s a better way to solve its problems. My prayers are for my husband’s comrades, May they fly safely and return home to their loved ones soon. Best wishes, Mrs. Peterman.”

I will never begin to understand war, but I understand that in some cases, when there is just cause, war must be fought. Tonight, my heart and my prayers go to to those fighting wars everywhere, who had no-one to write letters home to tell their loved ones they are now gone; and those to whom there is no one left to receive the letters anyway, had they been written.