Happy Mother's Day to the mothers who've served in combat, and to the mothers, stepmothers, grandmothers, and adoptive or foster mothers of those who've served, not to mention the wives and girlfriends of combat veterans. The veteran pays a heavy price for his or her sacrifice; but so do the generally unsung heroines on the homefront. They're the ones struggling to make sense of the distance and loneliness; trying to hold down a job to keep the family afloat and tend to the children as well; and they're often called upon to pitch in as 24/7 caregivers or patient advocates when the need arises after injury. Some of these women who we know personally are truly amazing role models, and due an enormous debt of gratitude and respect. However, they're ALL worthy of appreciation for the mighty roles they fill. Let's hope this Mother's Day they get just some of the gratitude they deserve.
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One veteran's mother, Frances Richey, did something unusual. She wrote a book of poetry about being the mother of a son at war, called The Warrior. Amazon.com, in its product description, calls it "A heartwrenching and powerful memoir in verse from a mother grappling with the reality of her son at war in Iraq." Richey, a single mother, raised a son who went through West Point and became a Green Beret, serving multiple tours in Iraq. Recently, the Seattle PI wrote an article about the book, called "Mother's poetry illustrates the pain she felt while her son fought in Iraq." Click here for a link to the book, and here for a link to the article in the Seattle PI.
