A Flower in the Desert

Today was visitors day at the jail and we were asked to help controlling the civilian crowd.
Among the heat, Iraqis trying to bypass security, the IPs screaming to all, dust, sun and sweat stinging the eyes, it was a very long day.
I was trying to control the main gate when a four year old little girl took off running towards my position. EVERYTHING from suicide bomber to grenade came to my head, three weapons aimed at her direction and I froze in thought (bad thing in a war zone).
The little girl came to within feet from me when I saw a little flower on her hand. A BEAUTIFUL, LITTLE PURPLE FLOWER, and a smile that took all the misery of this year away. She had blond hair, tan skin and dark eyes. She was holding in her other hand a small doll and with both arms extended she indicated to me that she wanted to give me a kiss. I bent over and she hugged and kissed me on my left cheek, then she laughed as all little girls in the world do. Her mother was calling her by now and the Iraqi Policeman that came after her was smiling. I saw the whole line of people laughing or smiling at the both of us. As soon as I took the flower, I smelled it and placed it on the band of my helmet. She went back to her mother and then the little girl's sister came to say hello and she also went back to her mother.
For the whole day I have been staring at that noamah (Arabic name) flower and smelling it.

This is how I spent today in Iraq. I will always remember those ten seconds when a little girl in Iraq gave me a small flower and smiled at me.