Natalie
2 min readJan 31, 2023

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(sorry - began to type on my phone and the app kept glitching...)

Thanks for the interest and I wouldn't mind sharing at all - in fact, I've thought about sharing about it someday. But your piece is such a sobering reminder that often times when we experience one "type" of event - we all be careful to not summarize what that looks like for all.

I feel my experience is "nursery" level compared to what you went through.

Oct 2017 / 3 days—APSCUF vs PASSHE (PA state school higher ed)…all the state universities, even got on the bus and went to Harrisburg…did the whole picket and labor chants.

It taught me a lot - truly I value the experience for what I had "read" about and had been taught. It's one thing to read history and another to participate in it...

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The best decision based on the information you had was one that I would bet most of us would have done. It is so well known and documented that air traffic comptrollers form the most stressful career that exists. You all weren't asking for anything "extraordinary." The President seemed to have your backs...

I was truly deeply disappointed and saddened by what happened to so many of you - and I admire that you are using your story to help others.

In my humble opinion - you did serve the public. You are a member of the military and while I recognize that as a civilian I cannot begin to comprehend the training/mindset and philosophy of those of you who served...in many ways, I struggle with it - a lot. And yet I know it's necessary and I owe my freedom to you and many others who have chosen to serve.

Anyhow - I could talk for hours about this. You're a historian and know far more than I do. But I ask you to really reconsider if "no good came out of it" - it was costly and painful, but there must have been some good.

We have you here with us - you never know what course of events from an alternate decision could have looked like for you. Personally - the world is better with you still in it.

Thanks for sharing your voice, story, and the lessons therein.

Much kindness to you Miss Catherine!

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Natalie
Natalie

Written by Natalie

Wife, mother, teacher, people/music lover and writer: sharing bits of her soul one story at a time.

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