The Little Pink Soldier

Last night at Daisies (Girl Scouts) we were working on our "Pink - Make the World a Better Place" petal.  We decided to have the 10 girls make holiday cards for the VA Hospital patients. 

I brought a white board to write down all the words that the girls would need to create their cards.  The told me to write Merry Christmas, Soldiers, Veterans, Brave, Happy New Year, Sick, Ornament and Thank You.

Everyone got busy on their cards and all was quiet.  For about 30 seconds.  Then the questions and statements started.  Once it started, it lasted quite a while.

"Um, do the soldier veterans have guns?"

"Does Santa go to the hopital too?"

"My uncle was in the hospital, but he doesn't have a gun"

"I want mine to go to a soldier with no leg"

"WHAT!? they don't have legs???"

"Some of them don't my dad said that soldiers are brave and some don't have legs"

"Did you know that GIRLS can be soldiers too"

"No they can't"

"UH-HUH yes they can too"

Then they all, all 10, turn and look directly at me.  I was a little rattled at how to answer these sensitive questions. I mean these are 5 and 6 year old girls and war is a pretty scary thing.

They listened (mostly) as I explained that yes, soldiers sometimes had guns to protect themselves just like police officers.  I told them that soldiers protected our country and when they said the Pledge of Allegiance, that it was because of our veterans that we can say "with liberty and justice for all".  (No way was I touching freedom with this group). That yes, some of them were badly hurt while at war and some were missing an important part but they were brave and were at the hospital so the doctors could take care of them.  Yes, girls are soldiers too, they are also doctors and police officers and firefighters and build buildings and fly planes.

Whew!  I did it.  Back to coloring.  These cards were fantastic.  The girls were coloring and gluing and stickering and glittering. 

We had a stack of beautiful cards when they were finished and I promised to drop them off Thursday to the veterans.  We cleaned up and started the task of putting on everyone's coats.  

Normal mass chaos ensued.

Through all the craziness I hear this little voice behind me call my name.  I turn to see one of my little Daisies in her pink coat, pink hat, pink gloves with a pink backpack on her back. She looks at me and says quietly:

"I am going to be a soldier."

All I could do is give her a hug.  She may very well be.

~That One Mom