Musings of the Chronologically Challenged™ Fourth Generation

 
You Just Might Be the Parent of a U. S. Marine
by Kolette, proud mom of Cpl Brian Abell, 3/25 WPNS Co.

If you find yourself peaking around the corner before you turn down your street checking that no military vehicles are parked in your driveway and if you have nightmares about people wearing royal blue pants with a red stripe ringing your doorbell,
... you just might be the parent of a Marine serving in a combat zone.

If you put out your flag everyday and find yourself wanting to rip the face off anyone who disrespects that symbol of our freedom,
... you just might be the parent of a U. S. Marine.

If you feel guilty for wishing your son would get 'injured just a little bit' because that would mean he would be safe and comfortable in a hospital for a few weeks,
... you might be the parent of a deployed Marine.

If you get really mad at the ignorant idiots who insist that all this fighting is just not necessary and that the world would be at peace if the US would just mind its own business,
... you just might be the parent of a U. S. Marine whose life is on the line to protect the freedoms that these thankless bums take for granted.

If you negotiate with God every night before bed and the first thing every morning that if he will just bring your son or daughter home safe, you will do absolutely anything,
...then you are the parent of a Marine stationed in Iraq or Afghanistan.

If you deliberately keep yourself very busy, every minute, every day for the sole purpose of distracting yourself from thinking that at that very moment someone, somewhere on the other side of the planet is shooting at your child,
... you just might have a Marine in a combat zone.

If your shopping cart contains tuna fish, beef jerky, foot powder, Chapstick, playing cards, disposable shavers, car magazines, a pre-paid phone card and small children's toys,
... you just might be the parent of a Marine who is spending a lot of his time patrolling the streets of Iraq.

If your son or daughter is halfway around the world fighting in 120 degree heat with 50 lbs of equipment on their back to preserve our country's freedom while your neighbor's smartass 20-year-old mouths off about our stupid military and you find you have to restrain yourself from slapping the crap out of him,
... you must be the parent of a U. S. Marine.

If you feel like an extraordinarily good mother because you know that you would sell your very soul, right now, to buy just one hug from your deployed Marine,
... know that you are actually only the average Marine Mom.

If you get calls at 3:00 am and barely recognize the voice of the child you raised between his satellite-delayed comments and then can't get back to sleep because you can't stop analyzing every word he said and kicking yourself for forgetting the things you tried to remember to ask,
... you are the parent of a U. S. Marine who is far from home.

If you have memories of a tough, but precious little boy with a dirt-smeared face who idolized He-Man, always had a 'sword' in his belt, and a plastic knife in his boot and later played hockey or football (and definitely paintball) and now has a very pretty girlfriend,
... you just might have raised a U. S. Marine

If you are someone who hasn't penned a hand-written letter since the day email was invented, but now cranks them out daily,
... you just might be the parent of an active duty U. S. Marine

If your vehicle displays a yellow ribbon AND a red, white and blue ribbon, a USMC magnet, a blue star, a "Marine Mom" license plate holder and an American flag sticker,
... you are a proud mother of a U. S. Marine

If you find yourself shamelessly, repeatedly, asking your friends and family to please send cards and packages to your child,
.... you are the parent of a deployed Marine

If you have never felt more heavy-hearted (and somehow guilty) at a wake than you did at the one you just attended for a handsome young man whose solitary portrait sat near his flag-draped casket,
... then your Marine may have just lost a good buddy.

If 45 years of a full life never presented a prouder moment than watching your son confidently march across the parade deck on graduation day at Parris Island or San Diego,
... then you are definitely the very proud parent of a U. S. Marine.

from Sgt. Grit's AMERICAN Courage Newsletter
posted by HCL at 11:05 AM