When It All Began

I remember when war was just a game that my brother and I played in my backyard. I would play the role of the precious territory he had to defend. He would usually hold a toy gun and shoot the imaginary people coming in to attack from all directions. The game was fun, and the rules would be made up as the game progressed. However, about a year and a half ago, my brother changed the meaning of the word. The game we played as kids was about to become his reality. He sat across the table with the papers in his hands that said he was going to join the Army. I knew my brother was not meant for college, but as he spoke these words, I could not help but to think that he would have made an amazing pediatric dentist. Anything was better than him leaving us.
In May 2011, we sat and watched my brother swear into the Army. It was at that moment, I realized how proud I was of him for taking a stand and doing what he believed in. I did not want him to go, but I knew it was his calling. Although I knew I was going to miss him and be scared for him, I was proud to see the boy I looked up to my whole life become the man he wanted to be. If you are reading this as someone who has someone important to you enlisting in the military, remember that this is something they are feeling called to do. Everyone was meant to do something in this world, and even though it seems really tough at the time, things do get easier.