My kids have lead me a lot of places, the most interesting to date is to the ranks of Military Mom. When our oldest son left college to enlist in the Marine Corps I couldn't breathe. It was so hard to "allow" my young adult son to choose danger, run willingly towards it, accept the charge of military members to die if necessary for our country. When asked if he could be talked out of joining the Marines, my son clearly said, "I want to make a difference" and he sure has.
His decision has changed him in so many ways that are good, but the adjustment for me has been interesting. When he left for boot camp I searched for support from other military moms and found the Virginial Military Families based in Fredericksburg. This group of ladies invited me to their monthly dinner and got me breathing and even laughing again. They hugged, listened, and taught me that life can go on. They encouraged me, they shared stories of their active duty sons and daughters, and they were consistent. These women are amazing and are bound by intense love for their own children and the need for support if the unthinkable should happen. Tragically it does.
One of my friends lost her son, a Marine. The loss is beyond painful, it's unthinkable, it's too hard to process. It's been more than a year and it still hurts too much to think about. Another friend's son is physically wounded, and his life is forever changed. They made a difference.
