SEMPER FI, MOON |

SEMPER FI, MOON
Name: Charlie Sherpa
Posting date: 5/5/10
Deploying to: Afghanistan
Hometown: Boone, Iowa
Milblog: Red Bull Rising
Email: Sherpa at RedBullRising.com

Bedtime prayers with Lena have always been sort of a beatnik version of the beatitudes. We start with  the standard verse of "Now I lay me down to sleep," followed by a roots-to-branches repetition of the immediate friends-and-family tree, followed by a mad-minute of shouts-out and God-blesses to everyone and everything that a 5-year-old warrior princess can bring to heart and mind. As with any oral tradition,the details may change slightly day by day, but the themes stay true.

By eavesdropping on my child's voice-mail to God, however, I occasionally pick up on some new thoughts. Tonight was the first night, for example, that Lena evoked the United States Marines. I don't think it was because I was going to sneak off downstairs to watch HBO's The Pacific, after everyone else had gone to sleep. My best guess was that she needed something to rhyme -- we're working on reading and rhyming skills -- with another recent addition to our nightly prayer's refrain. That's just a theory, however.

Here's how tonight's prayer ended:

    God bless all our friends and daycare,
    and all our teachers at daycare ...

    God bless soldiers and sailors,
    polar bears and penguins ...

    God bless astronauts and Space Shuttles.

    God bless marines and ballerinas.

    Amen.

Again, I'm not sure where that last line came from. Took me a little by surprise. Still, I'm amused by the sounds of the words, as well as the juxtaposition. Besides, I'm not about to argue with any little girl who loves both Devil Dogs and dancing divas.

Semper Fi, Princess. Sweet dreams.

Comments

[Michael]

BEAUTIFUL!! The power of a child like yours reminds me there is hope. And, unconditioned Love as only a five year young can share. We have a fiver living next door on our ridge and she is a hoot with some of her wisdom.

in
Peace & Love
Michael

[bill]

Holy hell, that's awesome. You're a very lucky guy.

[joygrace]

That is awesome. May the Lord Bless you and Keep you and your family. Dh recorded nightly prayers for us and him before heading off in support of OEF.

[Gutro]

Charlie,
I have read two of your entries - I don't know if you have more yet or not- and can't help but think of my little girl.
She too says her prays every night, however she's only 2.5 and doesn't always do it on her own and needs mommy or daddy to remind her.
My little girl hasn't ad-libbed any of her own lines yet, but i can tell on a daily basis that her mind is growing and it wont be long. I'm no an enlisted man, but am fond of our warriors and traditions of war - good or bad. I see my little girl saying something very similar to what your warrior princess said. It almost brings a tear to my as it shows how they think. There's no prejudice in what they say. They don't care if one things goes with the other....all that matters to them is what is in their heart. Marines and ballerinas, I believe they are two groups of people that she really cares for.