What's a Mother To Do?

My son Justin decided he wants to be a Marine. I've no idea who set the thought in his head (lucky for he/she/it) but I can tell you that once it got there it was impossible to change his mind. Not that I really tried, it seemed that if this was the path he has chosen, I should be supportive. So I did, or at least, I did my best. I would, on occasion, ask if he was sure this is what he wanted. And when he replied, "Yes, Momma, I'm sure" (which he did 100% of the time) I would smile and move on to another subject.

But then it was time to let him go, literally. I had to drop him off at his recruiter's office and watch him climb into a bus along with a group of like-minded kids, each making this journey, each for a different reason. I got a bit emotional thanking his recruiters for their support and promises to keep me informed, but I'm sure they've seen that enough times it wasn't too terribly uncomfortable for them. I walked him outside and he turned to hug me goodbye. I thought I really handled myself well, and was doing a great job of keeping myself together. Then I realized he had said my name a couple of times and was trying to unwrap himself from my arms.

Well, I tried.

He has arrived safely in San Diego, and is doing what he wanted to do.

I think it's interesting that he was reading a book called "Becoming A Man" the week before he left. When I asked him about it, he reminded me of something I said to him years ago, which he apparently never forgot - "You don't become a man simply because you get older - it's something you have to work at." My sadness at him being gone is tempered by a sense of pride that I can't verbalize without getting all emotional. He has set a lofty goal for himself, and is doing his very best to make it happen.

Justin made me promise to post a picture of him being goofy, to remind me of how much he tried to make me laugh that morning. The one above was taken as we were preparing to head into town. And it works like a charm, most of the time.