This is more of a personal e-mail than one in support of your campaign, although I firmly believe, with the warrior heart that you have, you could only do good things for our country.
I didn't become a viewer of Extreme Makeover until it started as reruns on CMT. One of the most moving episodes I saw was the one that your home was built on -- but it wasn't because of the beautiful home you and your family received, it was much more precious to me than that.
I didn't see that episode until my oldest son had gotten out of Parris Island. He graduated from 3rd Mike on 12/19/2008. I'm not ashamed to say that I darn near drowned myself with all the tears that fell, not only on his graduation day but when I watched that show.
When I looked at you, I saw the devotion and love my own son has for the Corps. I saw your deep sense of responsibility and honor at being able to serve your country, no matter how you got there.
When I look at you, I see my son. Plain and simple, When I see young men like the both of you, I thank God that I live where I live and that there are men like you and my child willing to fight to make that life possible.
That episode demonstrated to me, more clearly than my son could ever articulate, how much HE loves the Corps, loves the brotherhood, loves the life that he's chosen to lead. He's only ever wanted to be in the military thanks to the movie Top Gun, which he first saw as a three year old. Imagine....;o)
I felt connected to you, as many Marine parents around this country must have also. The Marines that brought you home to your new house on the birthday of the Marine Corps were so proud to be there -- their love also so clearly showed on their faces.
In this era that we live in, of parents that don't teach their children morals and values, children that don't appreciate what they have, it is gratifying to me that there are men and women that volunteer to serve in our Armed Forces.
Young men and woman that are willing to risk being killed for the very same things that others take for granted.
As a mother, when my son enlisted in the Corps, I faced the possibility that my child would come home in a box. He bought two rings at boot camp so that God forbid he was killed in combat, I could bury one with him and have the other for myself. I pray that I never have to experience the loss of my child and am sorry that so many families have had to suffer like that. I remember when he was in boot camp, I cried, at least once a day, for all 89 days that he was in. I worked two nights of his Crucible and paced the floors of my ER. I gazed at the full moon and knew it was lighting his way on the last night that he was out there. I watched a spectacular sunrise the morning of the 13th of December and cried, knowing that he had just gotten his first EGA.
Boot camp was rough on me. He loved it, the brat ;o)
He'll leave for Okinawa for the next two years at the end of February or the beginning of March. He'll miss my 50th birthday, his 21st birthday, his brother's high school graduation and all the holidays between his departure and my first visit over there next summer.
We'll use Skype, we'll use e-mail, we'll send things back and forth but as you know, it's never the same.
I guess this e-mail really had no point except to say thank you -- you truly helped me understand what the Corps means to my child.
Thank you for your service in the Corps and your continued service as a civilian. Congratulations on the occasion of your marriage and the blending of two families. If anyone deserves happiness it's you and I'm so glad that you found it.
If you ever get to the Hampton roads area of Virginia, I’d love to say to you in person what I just said in writing.
Thank you again from a dedicated Marine Mom -- OORAH! SEMPER FI!
God bless.
Jane Matte,
Hampton Roads, VA
No comments:
Post a Comment