The Change:

What does it take to change a country boy's heart to stone? Growing up in the foothills of the White Mountains of New Hampshire, surrounded by the love of a family. Small town values and taking everything at face value without question. Trusting in your neighbors and your friends and having the awesome privilege of being a child of the fifty's. Buddy Holly and the Crickets sang about love and kisses, Richey Valens had Donna, Elvis was on the scene with his blue suede shoes and every kid had a DA haircut in honor of the King of Rock & Roll.  Elvis sang about Heartbreak Hotel and we in our wildest dreams never thought we would be driving through that lonesome town as sung by Ricky Nelson.

The Beatles invaded America in the early sixties with, I Wanna Hold Your Hand and All My Lovin'. While Americans were starting to die in a place called Vietnam. This would be the beginning of concern for our forces in Vietnam. The turning point of America's disloyalty to her troops and the fuel to ignite the protest  movements and anti war rally's that shamed a nation.

The dreams of a young American boy shattered after enlistment in the Marine corps. Innocent enough to volunteer for Vietnam, still trusting and still ignorant enough of life to think that he could make a change. Here he stood upon the threshold of destruction his mother never told him about. His imagination couldn't even begin to conceive the devastation as he stood there, wondering at his parents with tears streaming down their faces what the fuss was all about.

Soon he would learn what he could never be taught in small town USA. He learned of the callousness of war and the need to survive in battle would start the transformation from country boy to warrior. From that moment the change would be evident and permanent, scarring over a heart born of love and turning it to a heart of stone.

What is it that triggers such a drastic change? Could it have been the reality of death? Could it have happened while staring down at the lifeless bodies of his comrades? Could it have happened under fire in the heat of battle where instinct and the will to survive kicked in and all other emotions were blocked? Could his compassion have been taken away as he gazed down the gray steel barrel of his rifle? A human life in his sights, having power over life and death at his finger tips. His thoughts running rampant as his finger tightened upon the trigger , the kick, the explosion and the finality of his decision to kill. Could this alter a man heart for the rest of his life? Could this be what turns a country boys heart to stone? I dare say yes, This war was the catalyst for the change.

The man returns home, and nothing is said. The war is not talked about, no comfort given. The eyes are vacant and no emotion is visible, no one questions why. The parents stare in disbelief at their son. Their child has returned home, he is present among them yet his mind is elsewhere. His thoughts will remain clouded and his heart will be changed forever. Where is the child, where is the youth, where is the innocence? My God. Where is the innocence?