Tuesday, July 27, 2004

WRITTEN WITH A HEAVY HEART

This is my oldest boy Gabriel.  He turns 20 in August.  Once upon a time, when we lived in North Carolina he used to tear up the Pow Wow grounds as a champion Traditional dancer.  Oh my lord, I loved watching him dance, he was just a young boy but it was like watching something magical and spiritual.  He danced with all the grace and wisdom of his ancestors.  I have seen people of all ages with tears in their eyes after watching him dance, he was that natural.

This picture was taken just minutes ago.  This will be the last picture taken of him with long hair for a long time.  He is off to get it cut off.  After his 20th birthday he intends to enlist in the army.  He did not want the barber at boot camp to cut his hair, which is being donated to Locks for Love.

And so it is with great pride, and fear that I support him in this new adventure in his life.  He has decided that by joining the military he will be able to guarantee some kind of future for his unborn child, and with the draft hoovering in the near future he's decided to join on his own terms.  This is his most mature and responsible decision in all of his young life.  I am terrified!  And I am so very proud.  Ah, now, I think I will go and cry.

19 comments:

Anonymous said...

Bless his heart and yours. I will pray for his safety but also for ggod experience to help him grao as a young maan. I fear that my son who is 16 now , will probably be headed that way in a couple years. I worry about it, but know that if he does ,it is his choice and it is a very respectible career. May God watch over you and your family, Beckie

Anonymous said...

He's very handsome. It's a shame he has to cut off that beautiful hair.

Anonymous said...

The military was great for my brother. He got his life in order, learned a trade, and made a successful career as a vampire (the guy who takes the blood) in the hospital blood bank. He is assigned to transplant teams too, in charge of transfusions. Tell him to go for the high-tech training and something that requires a security clearance. He will be set for life. -B

Anonymous said...

I just can't imagine how proud you are and at the same time sad.  It is bittersweet.  Good luck to him.....and I'll think good thoughts for you girlie...I know it has got to be hard seeing your boy turning into a man.

Anonymous said...

What a very Handsome Young Man!  I tend to prefer long hair, and his is gorgeous.  What a thoughtful thing to do by donating his locks.  Blessings be upon him, and you and all of yours.

Anonymous said...

You must be sooo proud of this wonderful young man but I understand your sadness. He sounds like a great person and son :-)
http://journals.aol.com/bigred3392/steppingstonesandcoffee

Anonymous said...

I know your one proud Momma :) It's hard in know. My oldest boy is in the marine corp. I was terrified for him and me. I thank god everyday that he is not in Irag. he is stationed in Japan. My best wishes and blessings to you and him.

Anonymous said...

He's a brave man...I pray he is safe and sound and never in harms way. For his unborn child! And for his Mom!

Anonymous said...

I know you are proud of your son, and sad at the same time. I'm proud of him for donating his hair, it's beatiful.
I'll say  a little prayer for each of you.
Have a great eveng.
R.C.

Anonymous said...

Oh My.......proud and sad at the same time.......tears in my eyes........what a wonderful thing he's doing........donating his beautiful hair.........and serving his country........yes, I feel your pride and sadness too.......God Bless you all.  
jerseygirl
http://journals.aol.com/cneinhorn/WonderGirl  

Anonymous said...

hugs to you dorn.
you have raised an amazingly mature child.
this is a very scary decision for both of you, i am sure.
you are awesome for supporting him....
and in turn we in jland support you.
you are a great mom. c

Anonymous said...

    Your son is so handsome!  What a great idea, to donate that gorgeous hair. (I have a soft spot for Locks of Love myself.)
    Here's tip...see if you can get a 1-800 number for yourself.  I know I burned up the phone lines talking to my MOMMY! (and yeah I reverted to that...) in Basic and Technical school.  I think a 1-800 number is so much per month...but whatever it is...it will be less than the 600 dollars a month my poor mother paid when I called collect.  (Yeah, you read that right.  My mother suffered as much if not worse, than I did.)  
    *Please feel totally free to email me* as a prior service person to get tips for family support, planning before he leaves for Basic/Boot camp...etc.  *Whatever* it is (and no question is stupid), I can address it myself from experience, or find someone who can.  
    I think he'll be all set with you tho...you strike me as having all the knowledge he needs and being a supportive mom.  You're both lucky to have such a great family...keep it up!
   

Anonymous said...

(((hugs))) He's growing up.  And he has a good heart...donating his hair to Locks of Love just proved it.  And his Mom seems to have a great heart, too.

Anonymous said...

Oh, I am all choked up...but the Army?  Get him to join the Navy--it seems safer!!!  I'll keep you even closer in my heart...

Anonymous said...

I thought I should add my 19 year old brother just enlisted, too, for the same  kind of reasons--education, money--and I am scared shitless he will get killed over there...thus my previos comment.

Anonymous said...

ggese thats him up there , wow what a difference huh, i think hes very handsome with long hair as well...and what great talent to be a dancer....awesome.

Anonymous said...

Cutting one's hair is a big moment in anybody's life.  I still have a braid that was cut off of my baby son sixteen years ago (he's 20 now).  And my mother saved a lot of my hair from when I was a child.  Sherman Alexie the author of THE LONE RANGER AND TONTO FISTFIGHT IN HEAVEN (from which they made the movie SMOKE SIGNALS) talks a lot about hair, the magic of hair and how it is so much a part of your identity.  Godspeed to your son.  --TW

Anonymous said...

Try to coax him into the navy: the food's better, the housing is better, better looking uniform, and anything else I can't think of at the moment. Just try it, my dad was going to go into the army as a young man, then rethought about it and went into the navy. He was in the military for 10 years, and was so glad he made the decision he did. Anyway, it's his future and all, but try to push him that way.

Just a suggestion and God speed to him!!!

Anonymous said...

What an awesome photo of Gabriel.  I think that is wonderful that he is donating his hair to Locks of Love before he joins the service.  He sounds like a very giving young man.