United States National Day of the Deployed.
This day is observed annually on October 26th.
Unless you have had your loved one deployed in a war zone
you can only TRY to imagine what the family of the deployed
goes through. Others who have lived through that, GET WHAT
you are LIVING like no one else will.
I pray daily for our deployed and daily for those who love them.
My son, Vincent was in the US Air Force from 2002 until
he choose to separate in 2012. I wrote the following in October of 2004.
At that time, long before Facebook, I belonged to a private military
parent support group. We NEEDED each other to get through.
My
Thoughts of Support, To You....
My son proudly serves in the US Air Force.
During his deployment to Iraq ( Nov of 03 until March of 2004)
I never once felt alone.
First off God was at my side holding my hand.
Next came family and friends and my circle enlarged.
Around my circle I envisioned a circle of other military parents,
wives, husbands, children and their family and friends.
All standing shoulder to shoulder, hands clasp to one another.
Around that circle standing shoulder to shoulder I felt the
presence of the people of the United States of America.
That circle was huge. Dotting that circle and standing just
a bit taller than the average person were former military folks,
each proudly wearing the dress uniform of their branch.
Then came another circle and at first I did not fully understand
why they appeared so faint almost transparent.
Until I heard their voices. At times I heard them speak to me
or heard their offered prayers. `Dear God Bless Johnny'.
At times I was allowed a glimpse of what their child saw.
Battles of men all lined up in rows, battles of brother
fighting brother in the back yards of this country.
Troops in fox holes shoulder to shoulder, a harbor on fire
as troops pulled wounded friends to the safety of floating
debris. Soldiers in snow covered mountains, soldiers mucking
through humid rice paddies, soldiers in blazing heat with sand
whipping their bodies…...
The voices I heard were feminine because the love
of a mother for a child transcends time and space.
`We've been where you are now'. `We've waited months
for a single letter home'. `We've cried your same tears'.
It's been nearly 7 months since my son returned. Until now,
I've not really stopped to put these thoughts down on paper.
You need to know that this was a huge part of my strength.
For me these thoughts were empowering, knowing I was not
alone in my fears and concerns. Others were standing with me,
and others had gone before me.
To you who's children have yet to leave…..
Today is the day you can actually LIVE in. Gently call
your thoughts back and remind yourself where they are today.
To you who's children are away, please trust that we
are shoulder to shoulder with you. !!!
I've been online for over 10 years.
I have met people who have forever changed my life. !
#1 being my dear husband Michael.
I have friends I never dreamed I would have. :)
Over these 10 years it's not been easy describing
bonded friendships to folks who are not online.
They just don't GET how powerful
it can be being connected to folks via the written word.
I'm still in touch with one of my very first
online friends, Dave.
He and his wife Patti live in Pennsylvania.
We met each other and our families when we traveled
there in 1999.
There is a reason for my explaining this as an ending.
Dave and I would talk to one another over the net and when
we ended our IM's, we would touch the screen at the
same time, index finger to finger.
It was the closest way to feel connected.
I can't reach out and hug YOU now, but just touch the
screen with your index finger,
right at the end of the line here,
and KNOW that I just touched it with a hug
as I've sent this to YOU. ________
Lovies --
OXOXOX
Deb in Ohio
Proud AF Mom of VinnyOct 3, 2004
My son proudly serves in the US Air Force.
During his deployment to Iraq ( Nov of 03 until March of 2004)
I never once felt alone.
First off God was at my side holding my hand.
Next came family and friends and my circle enlarged.
Around my circle I envisioned a circle of other military parents,
wives, husbands, children and their family and friends.
All standing shoulder to shoulder, hands clasp to one another.
Around that circle standing shoulder to shoulder I felt the
presence of the people of the United States of America.
That circle was huge. Dotting that circle and standing just
a bit taller than the average person were former military folks,
each proudly wearing the dress uniform of their branch.
Then came another circle and at first I did not fully understand
why they appeared so faint almost transparent.
Until I heard their voices. At times I heard them speak to me
or heard their offered prayers. `Dear God Bless Johnny'.
At times I was allowed a glimpse of what their child saw.
Battles of men all lined up in rows, battles of brother
fighting brother in the back yards of this country.
Troops in fox holes shoulder to shoulder, a harbor on fire
as troops pulled wounded friends to the safety of floating
debris. Soldiers in snow covered mountains, soldiers mucking
through humid rice paddies, soldiers in blazing heat with sand
whipping their bodies…...
The voices I heard were feminine because the love
of a mother for a child transcends time and space.
`We've been where you are now'. `We've waited months
for a single letter home'. `We've cried your same tears'.
It's been nearly 7 months since my son returned. Until now,
I've not really stopped to put these thoughts down on paper.
You need to know that this was a huge part of my strength.
For me these thoughts were empowering, knowing I was not
alone in my fears and concerns. Others were standing with me,
and others had gone before me.
To you who's children have yet to leave…..
Today is the day you can actually LIVE in. Gently call
your thoughts back and remind yourself where they are today.
To you who's children are away, please trust that we
are shoulder to shoulder with you. !!!
I've been online for over 10 years.
I have met people who have forever changed my life. !
#1 being my dear husband Michael.
I have friends I never dreamed I would have. :)
Over these 10 years it's not been easy describing
bonded friendships to folks who are not online.
They just don't GET how powerful
it can be being connected to folks via the written word.
I'm still in touch with one of my very first
online friends, Dave.
He and his wife Patti live in Pennsylvania.
We met each other and our families when we traveled
there in 1999.
There is a reason for my explaining this as an ending.
Dave and I would talk to one another over the net and when
we ended our IM's, we would touch the screen at the
same time, index finger to finger.
It was the closest way to feel connected.
I can't reach out and hug YOU now, but just touch the
screen with your index finger,
right at the end of the line here,
and KNOW that I just touched it with a hug
as I've sent this to YOU. ________
Lovies --
OXOXOX
Deb in Ohio
Proud AF Mom of VinnyOct 3, 2004
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