The actual title of this week's commentary should read: "Leaving the Nest and Other Challenging Moments in Our Lives." Unfortunately, that would have taken up too much room on the Firehouse.com homepage. However, the meaning behind the title means a great deal to me. I am referring to those major changes in our lives, which we must each endure.
If you think back, there are probably a number, which you have faced. If you moved to another community when you were young, you know the terror of leaving the comfort of the place where you were. Each of us experienced a change when we left high school. I can still recall the feelings of emptiness I felt upon leaving dear old Southern Freehold Regional in 1965.
Both ends of my time in the U.S. Air Force were leaving the nest experiences. In the first case I left the comfort and support of my home in Freehold for the uncertainty of life as an Air Force firefighter. After traveling the world with the Air Force (Alaska, the Philippine Islands, Vietnam, Australia, and Arkansas) I faced the uncertainty of the rest of my life when I was discharged in June of 1970.
Each of you could join with me in the litany of major, nest-leaving changes in your lives. There have been weddings, births, deaths, and a wide range of other major change moments. As humans we are expected to enter the valley on one end, make our way through the moment, and emerge on the other end of the valley to continue our lives. So it is for each of us. Trust me when I say that I understand.
On Wednesday August 24, 2005, my wife and I joined our son at St. Charles Borromeo Seminary in suburban Philadelphia for the beginning of his personal journey toward the Lord. He is now in the early days of his studies to be a Priest in the Catholic faith. As I sat there in the chapel with my wife, a wide range of thoughts raced through my mind.
As I looked across the way at a number of other parents, who were undergoing the same fateful, fearful moment, I tried to get a read on their thoughts. Were they happy, sad, or simple awed by the enormity of the event?
There was a whole lot of praying and a great many tears; many of them mine. What made this event such a fateful day for the Carter family is the fact that Todd was not raised in the Catholic faith. We are Protestants. He converted during his time as an undergraduate at the College of New Jersey.
I was not the only member of the fire service in the chapel that afternoon. After the mass, we were all invited to lunch in the school cafeteria. I now know that my son will not starve. The food was good and the soft pretzels and coconut macaroons were great.
A funny thing happened to me as I was standing in line waiting to make my selections. A smiling man came up to me and extended his hand. He said, "
