The Marine Conversation
Sometimes love sounds like fear.
Some of the hardest conversations happen between people who love each other deeply.
Mom never wanted me to join the Marines.
Not because she didn’t respect the military.
She didn’t want her daughter to go to war.
At the time, I tried to reassure her.
I told her we hadn’t had a war in years. Chances were, I probably wouldn’t see one.
Turns out, I was wrong.
About a year later, I was in Desert Shield and Desert Storm.
Looking back now, I understand Mom’s fears differently than I did then.
At the time, though, I was focused on becoming independent. Building my own life. Making my own decisions.
Years later, another difficult conversation happened after my son and I moved in with my parents for a while. I had gotten out of the Marines and needed a place for us to stay.
As with many families living under one roof, disagreements arose.
One of the biggest issues involved how I was raising my son.
Mom had her opinions.
I had mine.
Eventually, the conversation became pretty direct.
I told them that I was responsible for him and would answer to God one day for how I raised him.
I also admitted there were things they had done as parents that I hadn’t always agreed with, either.
That wasn’t easy for any of us.
But underneath the disagreement was something important:
We all cared deeply.
At some point in life, the relationship between parents and children changes.
There comes a moment when children begin making decisions their parents can no longer control.
And there comes a moment when parents have to let them.
That doesn’t mean the love disappears.
If anything, it makes you realize just how deep that love really is.
Looking back now, I think a lot of Mom’s fears, opinions, and strong feelings came from the same place they always had:
She loved her children fiercely.
And eventually, I understood that better because I became a parent too.
🌿 One Dreams Writing — Faith-filled reflections for life’s everyday turning points.