At The Summit

We have come to the summit of this little odyssey here in Djibouti and as the top of the hill slowly recedes from sight, the final descent back to all things American now begins. The introduction to that proverbial "light at the end of the tunnel" has been made and 260-plus Marines providing "security" for the masses here at the camp will all be waiting anxiously for the final flight to freedom that will take them back home to loved ones, family and friends in the very near future.

I will be brutally honest when I say that I will have mixed emotions about the trip back home. Although I am terribly anxious to get back to my wife, children and family, I will be somewhat saddened to have to depart the ranks of active duty military life once again and have to re-adjust back into the dog-eat-dog of my uncivil civilian job. I believe Lieutenant General Sattler, a recent visitor to the camp said it best - "Find a job you enjoy doing and you'll never work another day in your life" - that coming from a man who has given 36 years to the Corps and is looking high and low to stretch his service even farther! I have definitely found myself in the throes of a job to which I truly enjoy and thrive within - it isn't work at all but more of a passion that wells deep within me and resonates to all of those with whom I come in contact with and serve.

This summit also marks a turning point in my life as well. With the average lifespan of the adult American male being 80 years old, it means that at the soon-to-be age of 41 I find myself also descending into the second half of my lifespan no closer to any life path or career than I was 20 years ago! I have found many good things in this life which I treasure and have had to endure many tough lessons which were tough at first, but the wisdom gained from having the experience has wizened me to no end! I find my writings and musings of the many moments much like this journey - trying at times, tumultuous and tedious, but always looking for improvement and focused upon the positive that all this life has to offer. I could wax the poetic, or wane the never-ending paragraph with flowery words and mixed meanings, but it would sadly fail in comparison to bring to light the actual joy that I have experienced in this walk of life. I am no longer focused on the past events of what could have or should have been, but looking forward with subtle optimism that the next half of this life can only get better and better as it moves forward to inevitability.

In time, all things end - both the good and the bad. It is this very sentiment that has me optimistic. For I have faith and have come to find that with every ending there has been a new beginning; a Genesis; a re-birth. And though there is some trepidation in the realm of my current and future employment opportunities, I am sure that with the right networking and proper interviews that the job of my calling will find me and then the road to eternity will be a little less bumpy and a little more softer and easier to handle. The "civilian sector" has not been kind to me, nor have I adjusted to the "do more with less" kind of mentality that many employers seem quick to push with no intrinsic benefit or feeling of accomplishment to be had. My ongoing complaints and anti-corporate bottom-dollar rants are all moot at this point. I have come to realize that my choices down the mountain are many and that the road of my destiny is still firmly within my own control. The lesson learned in regards to change - if it is going to be, then it is up to me!

It has been a good road and not one that has been traveled by many. I have seen sunrises and sunsets on 4 different continents; laid my head to rest on pillows in 16 different countries and have traveled through or been stationed for duty or training in 8 different states. I have celebrated many a birthday or milestone while deployed. And though it is time not found again with loved ones and family, there is still a bright spot of optimism shining within me that believes that future days will bring closer moments and times when those milestones are a shared award and not singular or sometimes empty.

The downhill side is within view and the summit has now been placed somewhere behind me never to be relished or seen again. With only the future ahead of me and the promise of many new adventures, there is little to fear and only more to hope for. There are many miles to travel before I sleep, and I am not showing any clear signs of slowing down yet. Whether I make it to my destination or not is really not that important to me. What counts is how I fill the many minutes and seconds from beginning to end and make sure that I am being honest with those I love and those who love me in return. The mark I leave as a legacy may not be an indelible or earth-shattering one, but will be important to those whose lives I have touched and have reciprocated by reaching forward and touching mine in return. It has been a good life - I am ever optimistic and still looking forward to making it even better!...