A Hurting Mother

Some things in life we just can’t explain. It is so hard to see others who are hurting, especially when we know it could be us. This weekend I watched a mother in tears because she will have to leave her 1-year-old daughter to go serve in the desert. How hard it is to leave knowing that her daughter will not remember her when she returns in almost two years. This mother’s tears brought me to tears because I know I am just a phone call away from going as well. I can’t imagine leaving David behind.

So why do the mothers go? The sacrifice they make is hard to comprehend. Could it be because they know the importance of the mission? Could it be because the sacrifice they make is to provide a safer future for their child? It is hard to understand. Everyday I question whether I made the right choice in joining the service. I wonder how I will manage to leave when called. How will David remember me? Will I be a stranger to him when I return? Is there any way to keep him from forgetting me? The thought haunts me at night.

Yet when called I will go. I will take my turn with the other mothers and fathers who make that same sacrifice. I tell myself it is worth it. It is worth it for my child and my family and my friends’ families so our country can be a safer place for all of us. It is actually a small sacrifice to pay in the whole scheme of things. I pray it waits a year … or two … or longer … but when called, I pray God will give me the strength to go.