…Humm… to me Pride never overshadows the fears but I have learned that if I truly love and respect my son I will keep the fear close and let the pride be the thing that he sees in me and my husband.
…I can tell you my feeling on this… my son now stands tall and proud as one of the Few. I feel it has to do with the simple fact that we raised the most awesome young men around, they learned the true meaning of unconditional love for their fellow man from the women who raised them. And now WE wear a badge of honor -- Blue Star Moms – to the Few, the Proud. Wear it well Mom, walk taller and prouder from here on out.
…The pride should always overshadow and outshine any fear you have. My son graduated from boot on September 15th. I have never been more proud of him than when he stood on the parade deck and became a Marine. You have to understand that for some young men the challenge and end result of the man it will make them means more than anything else. Your son will get the best training of his life and he will carry it with him for the rest of his life. You should read "Corps Values" by Zell Miller and it will help you understand why your son made the decision he made.
…Try to stay in the moment and put your fear aside for now. He is in boot camp (he is safe), then he will have to go for additional infantry training. It could be awhile before he's deployed, if he's deployed. It can go so many different ways. My son graduated in January of this year and he's still training. Try to stay in the moment and focus on the here and now, not what could happen. Write to him a lot while he is in boot camp, and show him your support as much as you can, because this is a difficult time for him now and he needs to know that you support his decision. Take care, pray a lot, and post to the MMO website when you need support or just want to share any news about your son.
….As a former Marine and parent a of Marine, I too fear for my child, even though I have been in the Corps, but the pride that they have for themselves and the great honor of being a parent of a Marine is more than I need to carry me forward. When your child comes home and you see the confidence and respect that he carries you will understand what it is all about. I leave you with best wishes, and if you have any concerns or questions feel free to write back. By the way, he has no fear … only expectations of being the man you always wanted him to be.
…At graduation you will feel pride like you never imagined. During deployments you'll feel like your heart was ripped out of your chest. But we have to let our children become adults; that is our whole purpose in raising them. You succeeded in raising a man, be proud of yourself. It is so easy to be jealous of the parents of his friends who get to see their son every day or during college breaks. But you can start educating yourself and everyone you know about what it means to serve our country. It is so surprising how many people don't know that our sons make such little money, pay for their own uniforms, travel, etc. Write to him all the time, tell him how much you love him and how proud you are of him and then cry your eyes out when your driving alone in your car or when you watch the news. Find a local support group that does care packages for deployed troops and volunteer. Welcome to the most heart stopping ride you have ever been on.
…Believe me, you will never get over the fear, but on the day that he becomes a Marine you are going to be bursting with pride. In fact, pride should be creeping in on you any minute now.
…My fear almost consumed me. If it hadn't been for military support groups, I would have lost my sanity. I am thrilled to say that my son will be home in about 6 weeks. His enlistment is up. I can remember being in your position several years back and wishing my son was ending his enlistment. Take one day at a time, place your faith and trust in God, seek out family and friends that will SUPPORT you and your son. Your pride is there! It just has not emerged on top yet. The fear is too great. We all understand the fear!
…Fear is certainly prime in a Marine Mom's heart when her child is in harm's way, but underlying it is that deep pride that he was man enough even as a child as I saw him to take on a challenge that I did not expect he could do. When Graduation Day comes it is all Pride. Marine Moms know even when the going is tough on deployments, and you worry, you are still proud that your child is out there making a difference in the world and here is someone you mothered who is to be admired by all. Fear is dominant at some periods but Pride is there all the time. We will never forget we all bred a Hero.
This is the final post concerning, "When Does Pride Overshadow the Fear?". We will pick back up with "MORE WORDS ABOUT OUR MARINES….." when we hear from our Marine Moms Online next time.
Thanks again, Diane!
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