Thoughts From Dr. Joe:You Don’t Forget Something Like That

I remember when the package came. It created an indelible memory, sort of like your first kiss. You don’t forget something like that. The chopper that brought it barely touched down. The door gunner threw out the hash (rations), picked up the trash, dropped the mail and dusted off.

It was the size of a shoe box and as my K-bar (knife) exposed its contents, I was ecstatic to find three cans of “Chef Boyardee” ravioli, a package from home.

A package from home is sheer pageantry; it’s a conduit from the soldier to us. It validates the life and death struggles of the battle and brings hope, not for survival but for acceptance. The symbolism of this gesture is historically linked to all those who have been in harm’s way. A package from home can soften the hardest of hearts of the hardest of men and there have been many a day when I would like to relive that moment. It was 23 December 1970; you don’t forget something like that.

I threw the ravioli in my pack, threw the pack on the chopper, grabbed my rifle and headed off to work, a night mission near the Laotian border. With a little luck, some skill, and a lot of providence, I’d have those ravioli for Christmas dinner. It sure gave me something to look forward to.

For the past two months the Girls Scouts have been promoting sending cookies to soldiers serving in Iraq and Afghanistan. The cookies that you sent will arrive in a multitude of packages from home individually addressed to our soldiers. “Operation Gratitude” (www.opgratitude.com), spearheaded by founder Carolyn Blashek, will handle the logistics and get these packages into our soldiers’ hands.

I’ve being trying to find a way to say thanks to those who have contributed toward this endeavor. Finding the appropriate sentiment is difficult so I headed to Penelope’s Café and sought the wisdom of a chai latte. As I clutched the heavy ceramic cup, staring long into the steamy foam and absorbing the fragrances of the tea, I found the answer: Thank you.

Once again the magic of a package from home is the alchemy that will create the bonds of connection from soldier to us. You don’t forget something like that.

Thank you, girl scouts, for collecting those cookies going door to door, and standing in front of Vons and Ralphs. It’s easy to raise your hand and profess the virtues of scouting. But when you live those virtues, you become those virtues.

Thank you, scout leaders. You obviously championed this cause. As a leader, is there a charge more important than building good citizens? Thanks for modeling the behaviors that make good citizens.

Thank you, everyone who brought cookies to the Valley Sun. I got ‘em!

Thanks La Cañada, La Crescenta, Los Angeles and Glendale. You wrote those checks for cookies. You are the ones who pay the fiddler supporting the myriad of enthusiasms that knock on your door. If it were not for you, we could never knock.

Girl Scout troop 626 and La Cañada morning Kiwanis, thanks; you brought enough cookies to make a battalion of Marines smile.

Thanks to Ohio, New York, Connecticut, Pennsylvania and those who are friends of friends for getting the word out. You were the militia who showed up.

Thank you, my former students. The crazy letter I wrote you asking you to ante up as payback for the myriad of ties between a teacher and a student … you answered with a sea of beautiful letters containing checks. For many of you, it had been years since you were my student, but you still remembered Kipling. You are, indeed, “The Thousandth Man.” I guess the ‘A’ I gave you prior to your navigation of the final was not for naught. “Stay gold, my dear students, stay gold!” And you answered, “Staying gold, Dr. Joe!”

Let me finish the story I began. With a little luck, some skill and a lot of providence, we returned from our mission. But I never did get to eat any of those Chef Boyardee raviolis! As I took them out of my pack the eyes of my men stared hungrily at those cans of ravioli; and I stared at my men. Without hesitation I gave the ravioli to my three squad leaders and said, “Enjoy!”

I went to sit with Sergeant Lihue. We opened a can of c-rats, ham and lima beans. I took one last glance at my ravioli and saw the images of my Marines enjoying a delicious Christmas dinner; you don’t forget something like that!

It’s a simple story, from a moment in time, about a package from home.

(My sincerest apologies for not acknowledging everyone’s generous contributions of cookies brought to the Valley Sun. Please e-mail me and identify yourself so I may.)

Dr. Joe is a practicing counselor specializing in helping middle and high school students transition to college. He is a professor of education at Glendale College and a former officer in the Marines. Reach him at captinjoey@yahoo.com or write him in care of the Valley Sun, P.O. Box 38, La Cañada, CA 91012.