Written by: Eileen Leroux

Mary is a forty year old Social Worker and mother of four children. Her hair of burnish brown, reminds me of aged copper. Have you ever seen a dark purple, almost black pansy? That’s the color of her eyes.

Going back twelve yeas, when I remember her best; I saw her as a courageous and determined individual. She had the courage to face difficulties few people would care to take on, but she did. Willing to do whatever it took to change her life and the future of her children, for the better.

Barely more than a child, she had become divorced and responsible for three children under the are of four. No money, no job and no prospects to look forward to. Mary took the bull by the horns and the first steps to changing her future. She applied for welfare and was able to get an apartment under the section eight program.

During this time, she took advantage of every educational program available to her. She first went to Nassau Community College, a two year college. There they had a "Greenhouse Program" for the children. More than just a day care center with many programs for the education of the children. The children benefitted from her schooling as much as she did. Mary graduated. She continued on to Queens College and graduated. Then finally went to Adelphi University, also in Nassau County, Long Island. In each of these facilities she was able to get day care for her children. This was provided for students in need of this service. The extra cost was covered by the system and whatever she could provide herself. Mary studied and the children played with children of other students.

Financing came from student loans and the time invested was seven long years to earn her Masters Degree in Social Work.

I will never forget graduation day. Mary waddled up to the stage, seven months pregnant, to receive her diploma. I have never been prouder of my daughter.

Two years before her graduation, Mary met Bob, her present husband and father of her fourth child. He had been supportive in the final two years of her education and is just as proud of her as I am.

She had accomplished what others said she couldn’t. Her courage and persistence paid off. She is now a Social Worker and worked in the mental ward of the Nassau University Medical Center. Her goal was and is to help people. A goal she had reached.

There are times we sit and remember how difficult it was. Yet too busy, at the time, to notice.

This was written a while ago and things have changed. Mary is now in the Medical core of the United States Army and has been sent to Iraq. The children are here with me and their father. I cannot describe the range of emotions I am feeling right now. I am proud, angry, confused and there are hundreds of thousands of mothers and fathers feeling the same way.

As Mary said, "Our men and women need us there to help them and I need to be there to assist in whatever way I can."

I pray for all our young men and women, everyday, for their safe return.

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Eileen Leroux has been a resident of Long Island, NY for most of her life. She recently moved to Port Charlotte, FL. She is the Grandmother of twelve and mother of three very prolific children. Leroux has long been involved in visual and performing arts. She has won awards for costume design, painting, and in the past 4 years became a published author of short stories in the genre of mystery/suspense. Most of her work is fiction, but she has also written non-fiction.