Where did those days go?

This past weekend was pretty busy. One of the big things that happened which really didn’t involve me, but certainly affects my mental outlook, is that Matt (my son) re-enlisted in the Oregon Army National Guard. I have incredibly mixed feelings about it as his mom.

Part of me says he’s given enough and it’s time for him to retire and pursue other interests. (Like finding the right girl, settling down and producing some more grandbabies for me, and preferably keeping them close to grandma so she can see them more then once or twice a year.) He’s already sacrificed a leg to the cause and has had enough stitches to make a quilt. Matt’s argument is that he’s already had his “incident” so he’ll be OK. He says, “How many people do you know that have been blown up twice?” My response is, “None, they’re all dead!”

The other part of me is really happy that he has found something he really loves to do. Someone said that if you find a job you love, you’ll never work a day in your life. I’m not so sure that’s completely true, but I know it’s a true blessing, and a gift to work at what you love. I’ve worked a lot of jobs in my life to make a living, and not because I liked them. Working a job you hate is its own kind of hell on earth. I don’t wish that on anyone.

Matt is really excited because he will be getting a Path Finder MOS. For everyone who has no idea what I’m talking about, a MOS is a job in the Army you are trained for, and/or qualified to do. A Path Finder, from my limited knowledge, is someone who goes out in the day or night and establishes landing zones and operations sites for military aircraft. They also conduct sling load operations (have no idea what that is), provide air traffic control and navigational assistance. He’s very excited. This will be added to the list of MOS positions he currently holds: Infantryman, Calvary Scout, and Mechanic. If it’s dirty, dangerous and mentally challenging; he’s loving it. I long for the days when I was the mother of a mechanic.

Let’s see, the perfect job for Matt’s sense of adventure and my need to keep him safe would something along the lines of Path Finder for an outdoor paintball range. It would be dirty, icky and challenging for Matt, and safe and colorful for me. Somehow I don’t think Matt would see it the same way. I remember when dressing up in a mask and cap to run around the house as the Running Kid was adventure enough for him. Where did those days go? Well OK, I admit I’d be more than a little disturbed if I found him doing that now.