Goodbye Tears

The following was first posted in July of '07. I hope you like reading it again

Dear Son:(We think of you that way even though you are our son-in-law)

The weeks of waiting for a specified leave date has finally come. The day that we all have dreaded will be here soon. Before you go I wanted you to know some things.

I have been watching you these last few weeks. The amount of love you have poured into living your life, dedicating every free moment to spend quality time with your wife and your son, has been amazing to watch. You've used every opportunity to let them know how much they mean to you, and how much you love them. I know that their well-being weighs heavily on your heart, and I won't tell you not to worry because that won't do much good. I will tell you that they will be just fine. Maybe not at first, but they soon will be able to function and will wait anxiously for the day they can wrap their arms around you and hold you close again.

You made a commitment to your family, to keep them safe from evil and you have kept it. Now you must take it one step further. The evil we all face on a daily basis is hard enough to try and keep at bay, but the world wide evil we all face now seeks to destroy every thing as we know it. It takes brave men like you to stand in the gap for the rest of us, to hold this evil away from our homes and our families. It takes men like you, men who think less of themselves and give freely for the benefit of their country and society as a whole. It takes men like you who have God as the strength they need in times as hard as these.

You are an honest man. One who can be trusted with the lives around you. You are a moral man. One who has the highest standards of faith as a part of his life. You are a man of integrity. One who keeps his word even if it the hardest thing in the world for you to do.

Now in just a few short days we will get together to send you and your fellow soldiers to a place we wish you didn't have to go. We will be there trying, but failing, to be brave. We will try to hold back the tears, but again we will fail. But as we cry the goodbye tears we will stand tall with pride, proud that you are the brave, honest, moral man of integrity that you are. Proud that you and many others like you are prepared to do what it takes to protect your family and your country from the evil men and women bent on destroying the world.

So go now. Be safe. Make good decisions and come home soon.

God's Speed!