Steps Through Fear

Throughout the day I have been given promptings to write my kinda-friend Joe a note to express my feelings. Problem was, I didn't know what my feelings were concerning him. He's a great guy, a year younger than I am, and is in the Army. Tomorrow morning he ships off for sixth months in Iraq and then a year in Afghanistan. What do I tell the man? I've never faced the situation he is facing. I've not even talked to him all that much despite his wanting to talk to me (Yeah, it was a neglectful move on my part). So at first, i struggled with the prompting, but knew it was a saygobedo moment. I eventually mustered up the courage to write him a short note which was as sincere as it could possibly be at the time of almost paralyzing insecurity; for my emotions have not been shown to Joe before.
After the note was written it needed some deliverin, but i had to work all day (from 8am-10pm, and did not have the time to do such deliverin. Eventually, the propmting took hold to leave my work and deliever it right now (at like 9pm). When I got to his house I found only his mom there in the kitchen, very composed, and yet still fairly distraught.
"How are you holding up?" I asked
"Oh, I'm doing good, doing really really well." She seemed rather unconvinced.
after talking a few moments about hos the boys went off to golf for the day, the distinct impression came that she needed a hug, from me, and right then. I don't know how she felt about it, but i felt much more comforted after the hug (despite playing hooky from work to deliver the note).
I guess it's just one of those things; we can't always see the end from the beginning. Joe, thank you for serving my friend, may God be with you, and more importantly for you, may you be with God.