Over the years I have always admired the military for its brotherhood. The men and women of our Armed Forces travel and train together until they ultimately react as one. This is the brotherhood called Trust! That brotherhood between them is essential when entering the heat of battle. Although they know the risks they are taking as they enter a firefight, they enter it together, without hesitation. Their training and that special trust is the essential element which drives them. Being there to cover your six (your back) is part of that trust. Once that trust is established, it can never be broken by anyone. When it's time to step up to the plate, they are there for each other.
That kind of trust is hard to find in a person unless you are part of the military. As a civilian I have never really trusted anyone that much with my life until now.
On a daily basis we meet people, many we connect with, others we don’t. Many times we dismiss a person because he, or she, doesn’t fit into our life for social or political reasons. This to me is a shame, because I have found over the years that unless we are willing to take the journey to explore the real reasons why we met a person, we could miss the possibility of them being a very important part of our lives, both personally and professionally. Or, better yet, have you ever had a chance meeting with someone who you knew, deep in your soul, was someone very special? Never realizing what an important role that person would play in helping to change your life, or help you achieve a goal of a life time?
It wasn’t until I returned from this journey to Iraq that I realized just how lucky I’ve been with the people I’ve encountered in my lifetime. I have met some amazing and wonderful people. I have been doubly blessed because I can call many of them my friends. That’s why I have been doing a lot of soul searching lately and come to realize that many of these friendships have reaped me the rewards of being successful in my work, and also in my personal life, because they are a part of my life. For that, I am enormously grateful. I truly thank those who have entered my life for a brief moment, or who have been with me for many years for their friendship and their assistance along the way both personally and professionally. Thank you for truly making a difference in my life and helped it unfold the way it has thus far.
Recently many of these same friends and colleagues have asked many questions about the trip. What it was like politically, socially, economically and militarily. One question which was consistent was if I was scared or afraid. Surprisingly enough I wasn’t. After thinking long and hard about it, I realized why I was not scared.
At first I thought it was because I mentally prepared myself for what I was to expect by asking everyone of my military friends what to expect. Nah that wasn’t it! Then I thought well, maybe it was because I was surrounded by so many Marines who were highly qualified to take care of any situation. Nah that wasn’t it either! Maybe it’s because I travel so much and never really worry about anything but just enjoy the trip. That might have had a lot to do with it, but deep down I knew it was something else. The more I tried to figure it out the more I smiled.
Then it dawned on me. I was blessed four years ago when a person came into my life during one of those chance meetings. During that initial introduction, there was an instantaneous trust and for some reason I felt safer than I had ever felt with anyone I had ever met before. This was rare since it usually never happens with me. Over the next four years I was fortunate enough to become very dear friends with this person. Although I knew immediately of his accomplishments, they were never the foundation of our friendship. It was that instantaneous trust I felt that achieved the honor of becoming my friend.
Over the years I never imagined how important this person would become, or what role he would play in my life, until I was invited to join the Marines in Iraq. You see I realized why I was not afraid, or scared on this trip... for the first time in my life I brought someone on a trip with me. Someone I trusted so completely I did not hesitate placing my life and all I hold dear in his hands for the entire trip. This gave me a tremendous amount of relief and allowed me to be creative and concentrate on the work I had before me. Just knowing he was by my side gave me the strength to not be afraid or worry as we traveled around a war zone. Our long standing friendship and his previous training gave me the confidence I needed to do anything that was presented to me. I took risks I never would have taken alone. This was a first for me.
I realize now that if the timing was off by one day, I probably would have been scared to take this journey alone. Instead the stars lined up perfectly and he was able to join me. I am forever grateful not only for our friendship, but for the trust our friendship has given us these fast few years. I would never have achieved my goal or felt as safe as I did if Tony had not joined me on this journey.
One thing in life every person should experience is to take a journey so exciting with someone with whom they can trust. Most of the time I travel alone and never have the opportunity to truly share the wonderful experiences given to me and it was so wonderful to have shared this experience with Tony.
Having someone I trusted by my side as I entered that unknown zone, truly gave me the strength and courage to be calm in order to march on. There is no one else I would have trusted, so utterly and completely, to join me in a war zone. Tony you truly enhanced this experience by being there for me when I needed you the most. For that, I thank you from the bottom of my heart. Because of you, I now know what those Marines feel like with that trust factor between them.
No comments:
Post a Comment