Jan. 18, 2004 ~ It's started
This morning we went to Sunday School, and College Boy visited our class. While we were introducing him, someone said that we should take a moment to pray for our other son, Soldier Boy, and-oh-by-the-way-had-we-heard-two-more-were-killed-in-Iraq-today? It sounded pretty much like that, too. One moment we are introducing our fine young man who was sitting right beside us, and then out of the blue, we are hit with casualties, questions, and... it's not a pleasant way to start the day. I could have done just fine without hearing that.
It irritates College Boy a little, I think, for people to ask, when introduced to him, if he is the son in the military. I TRY to say that he is our college student son, as part of the introduction, but sometimes people cut me off. It's funny, because if they would just look at him, he does not have a military haircut. He looks more like a college student than a soldier, which is as it should be. We are proud of both our sons. It was funny, though... several people at church went to the school he's about to attend, and they were quick to share little stories about it. That was nice.
But back to that comment about Iraq... I felt like I was ambushed. Ambushed. When Son was in Afghanistan, at times I was minding my own business, perfectly happy, and someone would feel compelled to tell me that they'd just heard about casualties there. sigh. I do not need to hear that. Ever. It isn't helpful. Here's the military parent's stance on that... If, God forbid, something bad does happen to our child, the military will tell us. I just pray, with all my heart and soul, that we never see a military vehicle coming up our driveway, because I think I'd lose it. I've asked my friends not to tell me if they hear about paratroopers getting killed or injured. They say they won't. But then they do.
I try not to listen to the news, but I don't want to be completely in the dark. I want to hear about non-military things, and sometimes the military news sneaks in when I'm not expecting it. And once I hear even a little bit, I'm hooked. I'm then compelled to sit and listen to every single word, and watch every image, no matter how awful. Same with newspapers. I'll be looking for the happy news, and a story about Iraq will catch my eye. Once I see the word, I can't NOT read it. That's how I happened to find out that three were killed in Iraq today, not two. Or was it yesterday? I don't want to know, honestly.
And, please... don't tell me. I really, really mean this... I don't want to know.
All rights reserved
_______________________________