What All Daughters Of Military Men Should Know Before They Go To College
By Stina Bianca
We are the few, the proud, and the pretty. We’re stronger than we look and we know it. We inherited our mother’s good looks and her darling set of pearls, but we also inherited our fathers temper and knack for flirting with disaster. If you’re anything like me, you know the lanes of the bowling alley well and you know that if Quantico were anything like Criminal Minds it would be one thousand times cooler to be stuck (stationed) there. You and I know these things, but we don’t know everything; and sometimes we need to be reminded.
Remember that he loves you. He loves you more than he will ever be able to tell you. You are daddy’s little girl from the day he was called out of the field to be there when you were born and you’ll be his little girl until the day you die. He won’t tell you as often as you want to hear it, and you won’t tell him that you want to hear him say it more. But remember that he does and always will.
Remember that not all boys are men. We’ve been spoiled, we were raised by the nations finest and saw our mothers treated like the queens they are since day one. We don’t know what it’s like to be screwed over by a boy and it’s going to hurt the day it happens. So remember to be wise and that while your daddy can beat his ass, your father can’t fix your broken heart.
Remember to be vulnerable, sometimes. We have a tough skin and it usually does us good. Our sarcasm masks our hurt until we can cry in peace. It’s okay to say how you feel sometimes, though. Emotions are a real thing, and you shouldn’t be afraid or embarrassed to have them.
Remember your mom. She is superwoman and I don’t care who tells me otherwise but I swear she has a cape in her closet. My mom raised five kids and she raised my oldest brother while my dad was in Japan. She learned how to be a single mother right off the bat and then remained perfect at everything she did after that. She’s the one who has to deal with your brothers acting up and getting you to brownies on time. She does it all without a complaint, thank her. (THANK YOU MOM!!)
Remember not to run away from it. Don’t run away from the Marine Corps. Don’t run to it either. I, as well as the rest of my fab four friends all swore we would want nothing to do with the Marine Corps when we started our own life. Currently 3 of us are dating Marines, and one joined the navy. So apparently we’re liars, but the point is to remember not to run away from what you know just because it sucks sometimes. Be open, be understanding.
Remember that the worst of times are the best of times. We all know it’s hard when dad’s gone, but the family also is the closest when dad’s gone. We all laugh and bunch together when he gets to call and we all have fun at the cheesy games that the mandatory fun police put together for the kids when the wives get together. Remember how incredibly awesome/awkward/good it feels when he comes home and hugs you.
Remember what it’s like when your best friend’s dad doesn’t come home. Remember the amazing community that you live in, and remember the goodness in people’s hearts in that moment.
Remember your houses, remember all twenty of them. Remember the memories and best friends you had in each. Remember at least one of your neighbors. Think about it, I bet you know ten times the people your non-military friends know. Remember all the different cultures you’ve experienced and remember all the people you’ve baby sat.
Most importantly, remember where you are from. You are from the United States of America. You are from everywhere. You are from neighborhood parks and Taps at sunset. You are from the creators of freedom and you are the hope that brings them home. You are the daughter of a United States Marine, and you need to remember that.