A mother's loss...

I read this poem the other night in "Chicken Soup for a Mother's Soul" and haven't been able to stop thinking about it since...so I thought I'd post it.

JOHN

I saw him first in April
When they said, "You have a boy,"
I waited long to hear these words
So he became my joy.

And every time his birthday came
I saw him growing tall,
And then he started off to school
In just no time at all.

It seemed I only turned around
And he was in his teens,
He went around in funny hats
And had his favorite jeans.

Then track and football filled his life,
His high school days were fun,
And in his private treasure box
Went medals that he's won.

And often when he came back home
From being on a date,
He'd whisper at my bedroom door,
"Mom, are you still awake?"

Then we would talk a little while
Before he went to bed,
And I would often breathe a prayer,
"God bless my son," I said.

I saw him last in April
When he said, "Mom, don't you worry,
I'm leaving for Vietnam -
We'll win this in a hurry."

But he will nevermore be back,
My heart still seems to break,
I'll never hear him whisper now,
"Mom, are you still awake?"

Yet I thank God for every joy
For all the love and fun,
And locked in my heart's treasure box
Are memories of my son.

Muriel Cochrane

Isn't that powerful....I can not imagine losing one of my children. I seriously can't even allow my mind to go there in a "what if" situation. This story broke my heart as I read it and thought about this mom and all the moms who even recently have lost their sons and daughters in the war.

My neighbor right across the street lost her son last year. She was in the yard and her flower garden every day last summer. I would say HI or wave and she didn't really respond. I had no idea until the fall what had happened when I saw a sign posted on the steet corner about a missing bike. I went to read it and it said, "Reward - Please bring my brother's bike home. He was killed in the war and it is all we have left of him." It was so sad. He must have been in his early 20's. The even sadder thing is that they do not have Christ in their lives so they don't have a Comforter to lean on or a hope of seeing him again.

So as you kiss your son or daughter goodnight tonight, say a prayer for all the moms who have lost a child in the war or has one that is currently serving...