Tomorrow is my youngest daughter’s birthday. She will be 38. We will not be able to celebrate since she just recently arrived in Kuwait, where she will serve our country for the next six months. When I look at her now, it never ceases to amaze me. She is so strong and her muscles have been sculpted into a fighting machine.
My three daughters, who share the same father, were similar in size at birth – about 6 ½ pounds, plus or minus a few ounces. Within a short time; however, the physical differences became apparent. My middle daughter was strong and as she grew, she felt solid in a way that her sisters did not. In fact, I am quite certain that she broke my nose when she was only two years old and flung her arm across my face while sleeping. Andrea, my soldier daughter, was always light as a feather. As a newborn I would carry her around in one arm, like a football, and make dinner, or talk on the phone – pretty much anything that required only one hand. She remained petite and was never quite as healthy as her sisters, coming down with pneumonia on a couple of occasions. So, she was the last one that I might have expected to choose law enforcement and military as a career path. Physical differences aside, she was also far more stubborn than her sisters and she refused to wear dresses. Stretch pants and sweatshirts were her personal choice of attire.
Today marks two weeks since I brought my baby chickens home. Their differences, too, are beginning to be evident, not only in their coloring and markings, but in their personalities, as well. Iris is the smallest and I have yet to see her hop on the perch, but she is unafraid. I know that like my youngest daughter, she will hold her own and refuse to be bullied. We each come into this life with a personal blueprint of who we are – both in our physical nature, and in our outer personality. The greatest honor that we can give another, is acceptance. We begin by respecting ourselves and then respecting all human beings, all species, plants, animals, and our planet. When we learn to revere all life in its infinite and unique aspects, we are revered and loved in return.
I honor my daughter today who is also a soldier. She is a testament to the power of women everywhere. I celebrate her bravery as well as the maternal instincts that she also possesses. I pray for her safety while she is out of the country and for her safe return. Most of all, I simply love her, with all my heart and soul.
