"And ever has it been that love knows not its own depth until the hour of separation." - Kahlil Gibran
Lately I've felt like taking E.T.'s sage advice and phoning home. Its silly to think that my cell phone and I have a wonderful relationship. Can you believe we even sleep together? Yeah... we're that close! I only say that teasingly because I somehow mention to Katie from time to time that it seems that our relationship hangs in the balance of our phones and the amount of time we spend with those blasted things glued to our ears. If its the only way to keep things alive then I'm more than happy to be the lab rat running those tests. I miss my sweet little family and can't wait for my return home where I can be a visible part of their lives and return to doing what I do best... being the best father and husband I can possibly be! I just wanted to write that so its immortalized and I can always look back and think of days gone by that helped me to grow up (some more) and learn some great things that will help me be more capable of taking care of my darling family in the future!
"Setting the example is not the main means of influencing another, it is the only means." - Albert Einstein
I think I was paid the biggest compliment today. What makes it great was that it wasn't something I sought after. It was something I did on a daily basis that brought a young man to say something that means the world to me.
At Ft. Jackson I ended up having a bunkmate who, at the very beginning and really only on the first day, was very belligerent towards me. Instead of raging back and making the next few months hard to manage I found it better to thank him for the things he was doing for me when he didn't expect it. After that first day we really got to be good friends and ended up doing a lot of things together. Who would've thought that (outside of my family) I claim my closest friend would be a 20-year old? We talked about all sorts of things ranging from girls, teenage behavior (I was a perfect angel, right?), favorite movies, books, why we joined the military, church and anything else that would come to mind. Its great to claim a friend like that who is more than willing to stand by you through thick and thin. What made the friendship all the better was the fact that, after basic, he would be traveling to Ft. Sam Houston as well to train as a Combat Medic (68W).
Since being here we haven't had the opportunity to spend as much time together because there are so many things we can all do and I usually choose to hangout around the company (so my earned money can be better spent at home) and he chooses to head out with friends and spend money and get away from the company. Can't say I blame him because I'd do the same thing if I were single and had money to spend to go out and do all sorts of things with friends. We do live in the same bay now though and have the great opportunity to talk quite a bit in the evenings when we run into each other. He was actually a great support for me when I first found out that I was being pulled from class because of my medical issues and has since only given me words of encouragement to hang on and drive on.
What I wanted to get to was something he said to me tonight (as I stated earlier) that I never expected but means the world to me now knowing how he feels. As I was sitting on fire guard tonight for my two hour shift (the early shift of 8pm - 10pm) he sat down across from me at the desk and said something I won't forget. He looked at me and (not in the exact words) said, "Neal, I want to tell you something and want to thank you for it too. Ever since we've known each other in basic you've been a big brother to me and have really helped me stay grounded in an environment that really creates negativity. I can't thank you enough for being a good friend and a great example to me and want to thank you for helping me better understand myself as I stay away from things that I may not have otherwise without you around."
I really can't say it as well and in as few words as he did but thats basically the point he got across to me. With my current situation and finally finding the resolve to deal with my medical issues that have taken me from class I find it comforting to hear words that mean more to me than he'll ever know. Just one more thing to fall back on if I start feeling blue.
Private Joshua Peek. I can't thank you enough for our friendship and hope that it will be a lasting and enduring friendship that will remain long after we've gone our separate ways. I wish you the best in your future and that you may touch more lives as you've touched mine. Not only that but that you'll save lives because you chose to do the right thing that will help you make the choices that you'll need to that will bring future friends from the brink of death. God bless you and may He watch over you and your loved ones in your greatest triumphs and darkest hours. I love you man!
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