Happy Thanksgiving?

        Hello friends. How was your Thanksgiving? Mine was pretty good. Family, food, and far too many deserts...thought thats never a bad thing. It is only once a year anyway. Amongst all the food and loud family conversation were thoughts of a lonely sailor. Where is he on this most family-oriented day? Is he in the galley having dinner with other sailors? Did a family on base have him over? An answer would soon be given. It was around the nine o'clock hour when the call came. Just a normal phone call like any other day. After some time and no voluntary information I asked, "What did you do for Thanksgiving?" He replied, "A couple buddies and me went to Denny's." At first my heart sank. A diner on Thanksgiving? What a shame. Then I though about it for a minute. Well, he didn't have to eat galley food, he got served his dinner and had no clean up, and he had some company. Doesn't really sound too bad, especially since he got to have some of the apple pie I made for him. I brought it down on our last trip to SC just for this reason.
        
            At least Anthony had a decent turkey dinner with all the fix-ins. That makes me feel better. What makes me feel even better are the plans for Christmas leave! I'll get to attend Anthony's family functions and he will attend mine without missing hardly a thing. He will be taking a flight out of Myrtle Beach right to Philly, just across the bridge from his family and me. I'm so very excited for him to come home. It's going to be bizarre seeing him in his home setting. It's been quite awhile since I've seen him in normal situations. I plan to make him dinner at least one and try to have a sleep over or two. I find it hard to make too many plans because I want Anthony to have more time with his family. He has a rather large family who has not seen him since he left. I, on the other hand, have seen him a few times. I feel it's only fair to share with the rest of his family. Though don't be surprised if you see me on his left arm at every turn. 

        Recently, Anthony had been a little whiny about the Navy and how much he doesn't like certain aspects and blah blah. I always tell him that he signed up for it. It is at no fault of anyone else. However, I do my best to keep his head up. I tell him how much we all love him and how we're proud of him. All that good inspirational stuff. Though, the other day, things had taken an unhealthy turn. He starting talking about psychological effects of what he's going through. At this point I was a little edgy about this topic. I had had my fill of Anthony's complaints for that week so I didn't give much soothing conversation. Later on I felt bad. Anthony needs nothing but encouragement, no matter how sick and tired of his whining I may be. The next night, almost as if I had rehearsed it, I gave him the best encouragement speech to date.  I went on about how much farther ahead in life he is that normal 22-year-old males. I listed for him everything he had going for him and how little normal men his age have. It really worked. His spirits were clearly lifted.