On Wednesday night, my family drove out to Great Falls, Virginia to have dinner with cousins.
It wasn’t a New Year’s dinner nor was it for any holiday purpose.
Next week, my cousin David, a U.S. Marine captain, is leaving his North Carolina base for eight months of active duty in Afghanistan.
Around the dining room table, we told family stories, laughed, remembered with reverence people who had since died in our family. But we all knew we were there for a purpose, to wish Godspeed to our beloved cousin.
I looked at David’s father Jon, and his brother Richard, and I couldn’t help but remember when we were all children and sat around listening to our parents tell stories. I always felt warm and safe with my family at my mother’s dining room table or my aunt’s dining room table.
Now our children and even a grandson was at the table. My cousin Jon raised his glass and offered a toast and a prayer for David’s safe return.
My son-in-law, an Orthodox rabbi, who served in the IDF, then raised his glass and said the prayer we’ve said for generations over our children, May the Lord protect and defend you….”
Later we descended to the basement of my cousin’s house. There pretty much everything was on a pool table and on the floor nearby. Everything meaning battle fatigues, helmet, ammunition magazines, bullet-proof vest, just anything one could imagine for battle, the real thing. It all has to fit into two bags.
David’s tour of duty was sitting on a suburban Washington D.C. rec room pool table.
His name, and his double bars for a captain were on some of his equipment.
Today is December 30. Before the year 2011 is a week old, he will be in a different world, a scary place.
His parents are driving to North Carolina this weekend to see him off.
David, I will think of you every day. We are all proud of you. You are the bravest man I’ve ever met.
I can’t wait until next summer, when we’re sitting together back at the dining room table of your parents’ house.
Maybe we’ll go down stairs and play a game of pool. Maybe your battle gear will be stowed away for the time being.