Fear Not

    The seasoned veteran took refuge on the bench along his routine walk into the wild woods near his home.  The end of his cigar glowed as he puffed in his deep revelry.  His thoughts hovered on his son's imminent departure to a foreign land, where war raged.  His son was a young military officer, whose purpose was to eagerly hustle towards the rally call. 

    He considered all those things a parent never finds time to convey to their beloved child. Reasoning the situation as a case of being so engaged in the daily demands of living that it was easy to be seduced into thinking there was more time; later.  It weighs on parents hearts sometimes in the dead of night; during the adolescent years, like a train whistle sounding in the distant darkness, alarm of an approaching destiny.  Ultimately it’s recognized as the arrival of the naked truth, time has passed where there is only waving joyful farewells to the couple departing in the limousine that carts them off into matrimony. 

    He put his letter in an envelope he stashed deep into the luggage he knew was already too full of creature comforts for the young man to easily heft and carry on the long journey.  But the boy was strong, and there was no hint of complaint.  Soon, it will no longer matter.  The moment will arrive with impartiality, whisking all that is cherished along with the dread into its embrace; leaving wistful sighs longing for more time in its wake.

    His pen captured his heart’s whisper:

So many things I wanted to share, to expose those dangers I've come upon in life in order to save you the pains that have shaped any claim to wisdom of the world onto me.

    Why would I do that?

What is real in the world is only love, and in those times it appears a contrast to the ideals of love, know that the gift is for you to see where the illusion lies.  Be careful not to despair, for doubt seduces you to conclude you are separate, isolated and alone; it is a corrosive moment to feel that, the quicker you dismiss such thoughts as passing, the healthier you will feel.  As too I would counsel, this is not a suggestion to practice denial of such feelings either.  Avoidance violates your nature and the very core of your integrity.  For you are not subject to others approval nor punishment; believing so is the habit of resisting your experience and accepting falsehoods into a religion.  Agreement with lacking, is to choose continued suffering; an error of substitution to actual truth.  Powerless thinking is the road to victimhood, the most outrageous of miscalculations that can be made; think again.  You will suffer until the pain which is present calls your attention to be aware, and then to act in conscious manner.  Do not deny being afraid; it too, like pain, is present to guide you ~ examine your premise of need.  The world provides an endless host of examples; pleasant and unpleasant; friend as well as with foe.  These contrasts provide you opportunity to check your course and notice your progress.  Karma is actions, so as we lay our tiles it is good, it seems to me, to raise your head from time to time and examine your diligent focused efforts on how you follow the path of your desire.  Deeming as you observe your results, if indeed, you are traveling in direction you had set course.  Check your data; often.  And release ridicule or admonishment in the very real fact that navigating a flowing, changing world of conditions is how you discover your new world.  I love your courage, as every breath I have I shall restate my humble hope for a prolonged life in joy, this as a matter of success.  "Fear Not" Confidence in your choices is honoring your personal integrity, which is the subtle nurturing of your true self-respect.  Prevent compromise for expedience, your virtue rides on those unspoken violation and will erode your principals which are the foundation of your self worth; your very manhood.  Be a beacon of hope in the world by walking with conviction that you cannot perish, even if your body be broken or destroyed.  In this, you will never diminish or fall prey to flawed thinking you deserve less than who you are; magnificent.

    Before he knew it they were saying good-bye at the airport, all the family trying with effort, and failing, to look brave.  The unknown had their hearts arrested. Any conversation was strained into superficial comments about the weather or meaningless banter to fill the void where silence allowed too much thinking. It was the anguish of their awakening.  The quiet wrought concerns, but bonded the network of their hearts.  Soon the discussions of his location and welfare were the preamble and reason for long phone calls at late hours. 

    "Have you heard anything?" 

   In the shared emptiness of any news, they became family with a deep purpose of care.  Oh for the joys of Internet, let fly the volleys of technological electronic arrows of relief.  He's arrived, tired but in good humor.  His tales of antics and miscues that always happen with the military speaks volumes to his loved ones; he is not afraid. 

    One day deep into the routines of living his father received a card in the daily mail.  It was from overseas as he hastily opened it to reveal a photo of a group of young warriors wearing sunglasses, boonie hats, with some in bandana's; all brandishing their weapons and striking heroic poses in front of an earthen ruin.  It was the trademark of soldiers for as long as cameras had been capturing them in the field. The young tanned men looked easy and proud, as if just winning a football game.  Below the photo scrawled in his unmistakable script was the reassurance sought.

Papa, fear not.