A FAMILY JOURNAL: FATHER TO SOLDIER-VOLUME 1

THE TOPIC OF A "JOURNAL"  IS THE FIRST ONE OF ITS KIND ON THE BLOG.  I'M HOPEFUL THAT IT WILL GENERATE A RESPONSE OF SHARING BETWEEN SOLDIER AND FAMILY/FRIENDS THE THINGS THAT CAN'T ALWAYS BE SPOKEN.  IT CAN THOUGH CONNECT US TO EXPERIENCES.  SOME OF THESE THOUGHTS MIGHT BE INTIMATE IN NATURE AND OTHERS WILL PROVIDE A GLIMPSE OF THE SURROUNDINGS, THE PEOPLE AND THE HAPPENINGS OF DAILY LIFE WHETHER IN AFGHANISTAN OR AT HOME.  I'M ASKING FOR PEOPLE TO SHARE,  AS WILL I,  PIECES OF TIME AND EMOTION.  HOW DEEP YOU GO IN SHARING IS UP TO YOU,  JUST SHARE WHAT YOU MIGHT.  ALL POSTS WILL BE CONFIDENTIAL TO THE PUBLIC, JUST THE THOUGHTS WILL BE SHARED, NOT THE NAMES OR LOCATIONS DUE TO SECURITY PURPOSES.   I'LL GO FIRST.

Your Mom has mentioned journaling to you for several weeks now.  She says she thinks its important to keep a daily log of your experiences in Afghanistan.  I know you think....."ah, Mom, come on, lighten up."  But she has a point.  Most Moms do.  And most times they're correct.  I know this is going to be hard for you to get started so I thought I'd show you my first entry and you can see what I'm journaling about.  I hope this gives you a rhythm where you can jot down what happened each day.  Some day you'll be glad you did and you'll look back on these notes and think how far you've come.

Let's get caught up.  It been 3 weeks since you left the States.  Tough time when you said "goodbye".  Your brother was graduating from Basic the same day you were flying across the country enroute to Bulgaria, then on to Kyrgyzstan.  I figured we'd heard the last of you for weeks until you got to your FOB (Forward Operating Base).

Two days later we see you on Facebook and I'm speechless.  How the heck, what the heck?  That was quick.  Social Media, thank you very much!!  Two days later we "Skype" and see you.  Unbelievable.  You made it safe and sound.  Two more weeks go by and you arrive at your FOB.  More serious now, much more serious.  This is where I'm going to start.  November 10th is the first entry.  One day before Veterans Day.

"I think of what other families are going through as their soldiers deploy and I wonder what their thoughts are.  Alot of us in the same boat.  All trying to make it through this safely.  I don't think so much about what will happen to your flesh in Afghanistan, but rather what will happen to your Soul.  I know there will be things you can't or won't talk about. Just tell me what you think you can.  I know you're bored now.  Take bored.  Much better than being shot at.  In fact, if you're bored...journal.

I think about the last time we talked or chatted and when the next time will be. Will it be in the next 5 minutes, 5 hours or 5 days?   My phone, my computer is always ready to hear from you....to know that you're alright. Most of my day, if not all, has you and your brother as the central theme.  Mom too.

On the good side, the dog misses you like crazy.  He knows something is different with you not being here.  He lays around alot more and sleeps alot more, waiting, waiting, waiting.  Patient, boy he is.  Your car is in okay hands.  We started it today and it sounded great.  I took it on a spin and laid rubber half-way around the block.  Boy, did it move.  Okay.....PN  (the new generation language for probably not).  Just seeing if you were following along.

263 days left.  Or roughly 38 weeks if you look at it that way.  Sounds better by saying 38.  And that's until you're home for good....through this deployment.  You won't be here for Thanksgiving this year.  Weren't here last year either, don't make this a habit, okay, missing Turkey Day.  Christmas is coming.  I'll think about that later.  Praying for your safety, son.  Praying daily....."

                                                                       -30-

YGG,

John