A Brother's Words; A Sister's Thoughts by Cindy Campbell

What does it mean to be a  Warrior Queen?  It’s a lifetime of care and love that often goes unseen. For there is no glory at the very start, when a mother first hears the beat of a brave heart. Days turn to weeks as she watches her belly grow. She will soon deliver a hero the world has yet to know. Her heart melted when handed her sweet bundle of joy. It was love at first sight for this mother and baby boy. Protecting and guiding little steps is no easy feat. The challenge of parenting can be bittersweet. Diapers to change and tears to wipe away. Picnics, birthdays and ball games to watch and play. In the blink of an eye, he donned cap and gown. His quest for adventure meant he would soon be leaving town. He felt alive with the sand between his toes and surfboard in hand. The roar of the ocean was with him as he left to serve our homeland. His mother continued her silent prayers for his body and soul. The safe return of this grown, young man had become her goal. Her quiet vigi...

The band One Republic has so many great songs, and 'I Lived' is one of them. From the time my brother was a little boy, he had an indomitable spirit. Boundaries were meant to be broken, challenges charged head on, and fear seemed to be a foreign concept to our family's curly, reddish-brown-haired and twinkly-eyed tyke. This stanza from this song is Chris personified, "I owned every second that this world could give, I saw so many places, the things that I did, yeah, with every broken bone, I swear I lived".  My mom shared that she was recently asked, "does it get any easier?", by another mother who is just learning to live with a broken heart. No, was the simple answer. Twelve years into her grief journey, my mom says, "we visit the hurt and the pain, but we cannot afford to stay there. It will make you go crazy. Focus on the love and the memories!" With that, it seems fitting on my brother's special day to share memories from birthdays pas...

October 28, 2003 Hello All. Trust everyone is doing well. I may not have talked to you in some time and for that I sincerely apologize... Sometimes we all get caught up in things that seem important that we fail to realize what should matter most . Family, friends and our well-being we seem to take for granted. At this hour, I am trying to think of a way to remember a man from which I learned quiet humility ... Chris M was a friend, a teammate, an American. He was taken from us... Back in September some friends and I had a little bonfire on a quiet stretch of beach near Crown Point in San Diego. Chris showed up during the night wearing a large wool coat. He sure looked comfortable!! As we talked and swapped stories of past adventures, he said that he was the happiest he had ever been. He said life was going great, the only thing he was missing was someone to share it with... As I left for Iraq on 2 Oct., Chris told me goodbye and "see you when I see you". Chris left shortly t...

Life provides many opportunities to reflect. Birthdays are one such occasion. Today, September 16th, is my brother's birthday. As I have reread his letters to share them with you over this past year, I have been astounded at the many life lessons Chris passed along to me. In the spirit of celebrating his life and what would have been his 48th birthday, I present to you... 48 lessons from my brother, who became a Navy SEAL. 1.  Live in the moment - unexpected scenarios will arise. 2.  Be present - opportunities for joy exist.  3.  Play - every minute is precious. 4.  Stay active - you'll live longer. 5.  Be comfortable being alone - some of the best times are spent in solace. 6.  Don't follow the crowd - adventure awaits. 7.  Notice the beauty around you - it's everywhere. 8.  Define your happy place - enjoy it. 9.  Live life unregretfully - make choices that will help you achieve your goals. 10. Have fun - time passes quickly. 11. Connec...

8/30/00 Hi Hi Hi Hi hi hi; Still in Okinawa, our flight has been delayed, we leave on the 2nd now. Well, the typhoon passed around us! Frank and I surfed the last three days till we were dead tired. One day the surf was so perfect, it looked like out of a magazine!! Life is good!! I actually sold two boards. I have one left, for big waves. It worked perfect for me this week. We are in limbo right now, just waiting for a ride. Just playing all day, no worries!! Have you kept to your program? Every day that passes and you are not active, it takes hours off your life, you selfish girl. You better outlive me!! How is the employment business treating you? Any more luck? Gonna go eat lunch. I am thin, like a pencil. But my hair is better than an eraser!! Love, Chris ________________________ A few months ago, I shared a very private experience with members of the Project Campbell's Call team. I've debated internally about sharing it publicly. Today seemed to be the day to do it. The ...

07/08/00 Hello non one-liner at the moment!! Yes, I would like to write anyway, because I know I would like to read mail also... hint... for the future... Had two days off, and guess what I did... ok, good guess!! I went about 1 1/2 hours South, then took a boat to a wonderful paradise here in Thailand... the Island's name is Koh Samet. Went alone and ended up being the best time I have had in quite some time. Got off the boat, tourists went one way, so I looked the other and just followed my feet... Walked about 2 hours through jungle, over cliffs, and popped upon this little spot right in a beautiful cove. The water was so blue, the sand a sugary white and lazy little trees at the waters edge. I put up my hammock and drifted off to my happy place, with the gentle waves lapping at the shore, just steps from where I napped. I awoke a few hours later and was thirsty and a little hungry!! So with no food or water, headed back to the little beach cottages. Found a tucked away little p...

I hope you have enjoyed getting to know my brother, a little bit, through his letters that I have shared up to this point. The letter today is Chris' last one to me before he graduated from Basic Training. Although he continued to send postcards and cards, most of our correspondence transitioned to email as a result of the introduction of computers and technology. I look forward to your joining me on this continued journey back in time.                           18 Jan 97 Just wrote yesterday, but had a little time on my hands. Also, I found this Brochure in our Division. If Mom & Dad haven't sent you these papers, I asked: here is an outline of Hotels & Prices that surround Great Lakes. The schedule will be that on Thurs, 30th of Jan we have a Mom & Pop night where we can have visitors for a few hours. Then the next morning you will come back & we will Pass-in-Review around 9:00 am, I think! Mom & Dad ...