Between Pride and Panic

Some of you have already experienced your children growing up and going out to have their own life... others, well, there is still so much to look forward to before that happens.

It's funny how you raise your children, knowing deep down inside that they are not yours, but a gift to you to guide and love, and learn from as well as teach.  We raised our boys to be conscientious objectors - or, so we thought.

I sit here, with highly mixed emotions - somewhere between pride and panic - as Jared is in Raleigh this evening, having finished up his ASVAB and, tomorrow has his physical, goes over his test score to figure out his career, and then takes the pledge to become a Marine! 

Yes, that's right - a marine.

He was contacted by a recruiter about 3 or 4 weeks ago, after having gone to their website and asked to be contacted a month or more prior.  This isn't coming to us a complete surprise as he has been talking about becoming a police officer, or possibly joining the military for the past year or so.  But the discussions were that, and nothing more.

And now that discussion has finally become a reality.

(The panic...) I am thankful that it was a year long discussion, as the first time Jared mentioned his interest in possibly joining the military to us, it took every ounce of ourselves to not blurt out, "Are you fucking nuts?" but to calmly just listen and nod and say, "Okay, well, that is a possibility... that you should think hard on, and research to see if you are sure."  And then, each time it came back up the seriousness of it kept sinking in more and more.  But even after all that time and talk, having the reality upon us is still a struggle - with all the dangers that come along with being in the military, along with no longer being an individual but part of the collective of the government, and so on.

(The pride...) The other side of the coin is what an amazing young man he has become to feel the need to do something as courageous as becoming a marine.  Wanting to help people, wanting to be a part of something bigger, wanting to better himself as a human being, wanting to push himself to new limits and see how he comes out on the other end!  These are things we should all strive for - and so I am overwhelmed with pride for my baby (yes, he will always be my baby) boy to be brave enough to do!

For all of you parents out there who's children are still young - just remember that they all have their own paths to follow - and the best thing you can do is to give them all the support and love you can to help them on their way!

Once we know more tomorrow about what his career choices are, and, more importantly, when he'll be shipping off to Boot Camp - I will post something more.

I leave you with some Absolute Standards of the Marines - that I had been posting on Facebook...
The Marines set some absolute standards for their people to follow:

Tell the truth.
Don't give up.
Don't whine or make excuses.
Do your best, no matter how trivial the task.
Choose a difficult right over the easy wrong.
Look out for the group before you look out for yourself.
Judge others by their actions, not their words or their race.

Have a Fulfilling Life