Letters to soldiers

Dear Son,


I remember as if it were yesterday, holding your tiny little hands and gazing wondrously into your bright blue eyes. I remember wondering what your voice would sound like and what your personality would be. These are things I believe all new mothers wonder over from the time the child begins growth to far after birth. You grew up to be handsome, you have a quirky sense of humor, you are very smart and absolutely capable of handling the curve balls that life will throw at you.

I fought many fears over these years. Fears for your safety, your well-being and ultimately fears that I would be not be a good parent. All of these have been erased by your strength, your fortitude and the fact that you seem to persevere in the face of the most difficult situations. I do not claim rights to that strength, or even pretend that it was I who passed it on to you. It was You. You developed your own sense of right and wrong, you would not give up or give in, You are the power within yourself.

The hardest thing I've ever had to do was get in that car and drive away from you. Standing there, stately and tall, your arms around the woman that you love, waving goodbye. I knew then, you are really a man now. Not the inquisitive baby that I chased after, not the teenager I fought with, but a man. A man who knows his own heart, a man who made his own path, a man who made the decision to fight for the freedom of all of the rest of us.

While your decision truly scares me, more than anything else in my life, I believe in you. I must believe you will come home. I have faith that all that strength will carry you through the ravages of war. I expect that you will be changed when you return, and I will no longer see the boy I once knew. This is what saddens and frightens me the most.

Please remember, as you take your place in the Army, that you are not a product of your situation. I am not my fathers daughter, as you are not the mothers son. My failures do not need to be carried on your shoulders. My heart aches over things I wish I had been able to do differently as you grew up, but regret breeds self-pity and self-pity erodes inner strength. I know that I cannot take my inadequacies back. I can only hope that my failures will be a shining beacon for you to avoid in your lifetime.

It is not What happens to you in life but how you choose to React to it. Take each situation as a lesson to be learned. If things become so bad that you are ready to give up, remember that change is not so bad. Sometimes life throws hard balls in order to clear the way for something new and beautiful. Like the situation with your wife. It had to over so you could be with someone who truly loves you.

My advice before you leave is this:
Do not allow the things you will see make you bitter, unhappy or afraid. Walk tall and with pride, but keep your head down. Be brave in the face of obstacles and force your way though to the other side, there's something beautiful there. Look out for your comrades and they will watch your back too. Be loyal and have faith that God will watch over you. God will be with you when no one else is.

I need to say how very proud I am of the man you have become.
I love you my son.
Bring my ring back home.


Love you more than words can say
Mom