For All Who Served

I have uncles, now all deceased, who served BUT none of my brothers, now also all deceased, served because my controlling mom wouldn’t allow it.

She turned my brothers into mama’s boys, dependent upon her, and taught them what to say and what to do to come off as unfit to serve should they be called up, thereby depriving them of the ability to learn there was more to life than the neighborhood, and grow into contributing members of society.

It did not go well for any of the boys later in life, but mom was content because none of the boys ever went far from home or made a move without consulting her first.

In fact, neither of the twins ever left home, period, (yes, I had twin brothers). They never learned how to handle any aspect of life ─ never owned a car, didn't even learn to drive, and were especially lacking in the area of financial know how because, as adults, mom made them turn their paychecks over to her.

I don't know for sure, but I'm assuming she gave them allowances as adults, because one of the twins, at one point, had an ATM card. 

He didn't know how to use it so he took my girls (his nieces) ─ then around ten years old, with him to the bank to show him how to use the ATM.

Twin 1 came close to serving when she graduated from high school, wondering what to do with the rest of her life. Dipping her toes in/out of taking a deep dive into her prodigal “lost” experience at that time, she was recruited, took the test (for which branch I don’t recall), passed, but then decided “I don’t like anyone telling me to do” and took that deep dive into the hard path through life, doing what she wanted, when she wanted, not listening to my advice nor her sister's, but blaming me later when the horse manure hit the fan and it all became too much for her.

Though now, seeing, reading and hearing about how some women were treated in the military ─ the rapes, I’m not so sure the hard path wasn’t the better choice. After all, it got her to where she is now ─ serving others in a different way.

Evidently at 76, it’s not too late for me to serve because, as a participant in the DC Batman Run, I received an email yesterday inviting me to “Become a member of one of the most specialized forces in the world. United States Air Force Special Warfare Airmen are the ones other special forces look to when the mission calls for their unique skills and fearless commitment. A job for the mentally tough and physically strong, these heroes go where others will not because they are trained to do what others cannot. They know how to reach their limits and go beyond the call of duty because other people’s lives depend on it. Special Warfare operators go anywhere in the world in combat and humanitarian situations, performing whatever is asked of them. They are willing to risk personal safety in order to accomplish the mission…every single time.”

Sounds like a worthy pursuit, but I don’t think my weak knees and sensitive stomach can handle such a commitment.

On another note, I find myself in an awkward position on facebook.

That friend of 40+ years ─ the friend I outgrew over 20 years ago, the friend whose invitations I always turn down, yet she still won’t let go, the friend whose husband I’m not too fond of ... that friend. Well, her sister sent me a friend request.

I don’t know her sister. Our paths did cross a time or two or three, some 30 years ago, so I do know her but I don’t KNOW her, have less in common with her than I do with my friend (her sister), so I want to deny the request, but don’t want to hurt or piss off my friend (her sister) any more than I already have by my lack of interest.

Something is definitely going on at a subconscious level with that family, because first I had that dream about friend’s husband and NOW her sister is sending me a friend request.

At any rate, until I find the courage to decline and face the consequences, I’m just going to lay low on facebook for a while ... lurk, but not post or like or comment on anything. In other words, hide like a coward. LOL.

That press conference 45's people held at Four Seasons Landscaping, not Four Seasons Hotel, is getting a lot of play on facebook with all kinds of hysterically funny memes.

These two are, so far, my favorites.