I really didn't want to vote on this one. It was very close, and very good. I usually don't take to having a topic broken up into micro-stories, but Bribeone's stayed on well. I felt his was very "powerful". I'm always partial to heartfelt, sobering tales, but this time Bribeone's concept just took me over for whatever reason.

Lines like:

wars took toll and did unrepairable damage ::
we once had nothing and how did they manage? ::

Won it.

Everyone else has such good closers, what's the matter with me?