I remember well the day I took our oldest to his first day of first grade. It was an extremely loaded experience for me. I felt our little boy was beginning ever-so-slightly to slip away from us. Would he be well treated? Would he be able to take care of himself? So many doubts, so many fears. When he couldn't see, I shed a few tears. (He managed just fine.)

I had awfully similar feelings tonight when I sent that little boy off to his first day as a paratrooper in the IDF.