A Proud Moment Cannot be Lessened by Apprehension

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Every parent goes through moments of disappointment as well as Pride. Kids have their good moment and their bad. One of the proudest parenting moment for my wife and me came when our son recently graduated from the United States Marine Corps boot camp. As our son said farewell to his drill sargeant we were elated to here his words of acclaim for our son. Over the 13 weeks of my son's boot camp experience we have the occasion to tell many people what he is doing. I must admit I have been surprised at the rather qualified reaction we have received from everyone (except those who have or have recently had a family member who served), their has alway been an apprehensive reaction. One friend even said to me, "how could you let your son, do that." Besides the fact that he is 20 years old and can do what he wants, the ocasional apprehension about the danger he may face in combat is eclipsed by the pride I have the my son decided to serve.

I was never in the military, but I am a student of history and often spoke to my children about American exceptionalism. I have described how an extraordinary series of events lead to the creation of our Republic and has positioned it to uniquely advocate for freedom liberty and human decency around the world. Liberty is worth defending, and I am proud my son is willing to defend it. In a culture of relativism, so many people today seek gratification and embrace comfort, and some people are willing to sacrifice their liberty for the sake of ours. When a child joins the service, he or she decides that their are some things worth defending and even, if need be die for. These are the values I want my children to embrace. It honors God and honors me for my son to be a Marine.

As a student of history I have taught my children about courageous people and have taught them to have the strength to embrace and express their values even if it is costly. I do not want my children to back down from a fight when the cause is right. I teach them to defend the weak, to stand for truth, and that sacrifice has a reward unto itself. When a child is courageous enough to go into the service. When my son was considering enlisting, I ask him if he was afraid to die. His response was he did not want to die, but he was ready to die if called to. At that moment I felt like whether my son lived a long and healthy life or if he was cut down in battle we had suceeded as parents. I am in no way diminishing the reality of the grief we would have if that happened, but it would be a grief tempered by the reality his life meant something.

I have always taught my childred to have the courage to stand for what was right no matter what cost. I have taught then that lives lost for virtue and freedom are no wasted. My sons Marine Corp service is an embracing of virtue with honor.
I believe the greatest legacy a parent can leave a child is a commitment to values that will guide them through lifes ecstasty and agonies. Soldiers, sailors, airman, coasties and marine make a commitment to honor God and country no matter what the cost. How can I stand in the way of a child who has commited himself to pay the price to defend those things that we all value. I for one could not be more pleased that my son is a US Marine.

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