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Every week, he is put through the grinder. Everyday is hard training. He misses his home. He misses his friends. Everyday he learns something new. Everyday he puts his life on the line. Everyday, he says, "I got your back!" He is fighting, hard, everyday! Emotions, heat, fear, lack of comforts, rain, bugs, and boredom. He misses the news form his hometown. But he remembers the letters from home. The letters from Mom. How she always ends the letter the same way. He thought it was strange at first. But he thought about it for awhile. They meant so much more, than just those four words. As he is reflecting, and officer comes to him, from another Unit. "Is your name, so & so?" He stands at attention. "Sir, Yes, Sir!", was his reply. "Marine! I received a Birthday card from your mother." The boy felt a reprimand coming up. He waited anxiously for the punishment. His face, set in stone, ...waiting. "She ends her letter, saying that this is what she tells her son. Hang Tough, Hang True! Can you tell me, exactly, what this means?" The boy grinned for a very brief moment. "Sir! To me, it means to be strong, and to always be true to myself, and the Corps. But it can mean anything, Sir. Depends on who is reading it, I suppose, Sir!" The man smiled, and said, "I thought as much. You tell your mom I said 'Thank You' for the card, ok?" With that, he walked away. The boy said, "Sir! Yes Sir!" He then sat down, and grinned from ear to ear. Memories of those letters, came flooding back, and for a brief moment, his mother was there, and had touched him, through the words of an officer. Those four words, went all over the world, at the end of countless cards and letters. Always, with the gentle reminder, "As I say to my son,....... Hang Tough, Hang True! Semper Fidelis! �Jules aka Hooverchild November 2004 |
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