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To a frightened mother of who's
children are in the Service:
Faith is the opposite of fear.
I shall not pray fearfully. I shall pray for strength and determination.
I shall pray for their family members to keep the Faith, so they can do
what needs to be done at the home front to keep up morale. That's our
job. We are the center posts of our teepees and I feel for you, you know
I do, but if they have to be brave, then so do we.
For all parents and family and
friends of service personnel in any country, remember, for their safety,
do not post their movements to a list like this. It's not that we don't
care, we do, deeply and with great love, but out of a greater love for
our service personnel's safety we must practice restraint. It's our job,
ya see? Along with being the example of fierce determination to
keep an even keel during a time of change.
There's a Chinese curse: May
you live in interesting times.
There's a California curse: May
you go through many growth experiences in a short amount of time.
It hurts, we know this. How do
we remain strong during scary times? By being strong. Go hug the nearest
mammal, hug them tight and have a cry. Then we got to get up and do
something positive.
Mad Madeline told me once while
I was a frightened teen aged pregnant Navy wife in 1966. "Go clean
the ice box." I looked at her through my tears and fears and said,
"What?" She lights a cigarette and says again, "Go clean
the ice box, why ruin a good day? Your day is screwed, you're scared and
there's nothing you can do about what scares ya, so go do something you
are sure you can do. Clean the ice box. Cook a stew. Sew a dress. These
things you can do and control and feel less powerless. Go do something
positive."
I thought about it in stunned
silence and then I realized I was not impotent. I had a power to do
something and have some control over it. More control than I had over my
husband going out to sea again, while I'm due to birth our first.
I went and sewed baby clothes,
quilts and jumpers, hats and coats and little shoes. Weeping as I sewed.
Still scared but less so because I had a job to do. I couldn't stop the
events, but I had a home front to care for and that I can do. I had
letters to write and they couldn't be filled my insecurities. This
was my ballast in rough seas back then and it still is now. I am doing
what I can do, for you, it's my job ya see?
I offer this bit of truth of my
life in proof that I feel for you. I'll pray for you and yours.
With a fierce determination and
Faith in your strength,
xoxo
NoraJean
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