If we have ever crossed paths on the journey called life, I'd like to say that sometimes I can come off as a goofy, lovable, sometimes eccentric, and lately brutally honest. The funny thing about me is how I despise talking myself up to others, especially with work and the brag sheets. Putting numbers on a piece of paper stating what you've accomplished is a great way to remember all the work one has been tasked to do, but to me it's just numbers. With that kind of a mindset, one will not go far and pick up quickly within the military, and it's ok with me. It's the person who needs help with the issue is what's most important, not helping only to add a new number and look a little bit better on paper.
Everyone has experienced something in their lives to bring them to where they are this day, be it negative or positive. It affects the very being we are and we use that to make the most of it, or at least try to make the most of it. We make friends, we become family, we fall in love, memories are born and then cherished when the tough times come. Unfortunately for some, those tough times are too much to bear.
Being so far away from home can be taxing on everyone here on Okinawa. Most of us are the single active duty personnel who live in the barracks. Our family then becomes the people we work with, other personnel who live in the same barracks, or meeting someone during a social gathering. Also, there are married people living in the barracks but their spouse isn't here, and that sucks. Married couples have it tough due to being far away from their families as well, including the much needed help with raising children and being able to visit with each other. The other type of person who has it tough out here is the newly married or newly pregnant single (or to be married). Think about it, they just got married and/or pregnant with their first child and they will have to go through pregnancy without the presence of family nearby. I personally couldn't imagine going through the stress of a budding family and work, with only a phone and the internet to get support from my loved ones back home.
Regardless of what your status is, we know life out here is stressful. If I stress out over my E-nothing POG job, then of course my CO is going to have things much more difficult to deal with. The extra money he makes slightly helps, but not enough to sweep the problems under the rug and pretend everything is fine. He's not the highest in the chain of command on the island, so the General definitely has a lot more to bear as well.
For some, death is the sweet escape from stress. After passing through the veil, the impact hits everyone who was involved in his or her life. The ripple will be felt even if you are only a member of the same work force, death will make its presence known. One day we will pass through that same veil, it's a matter of how and when it will happen.
So I ask to those have read this far: Are you satisfied with where you are in life if you were to die this day?
Think about it, you might have a lot of friends and loved ones who would go to the ends of the world for you. You may be in love with someone but have gotten into an argument over something that really is hollow. Are you content with any bridges that you may burned with friends or family? Any day could very well be our last, so would you want to leave this world behind with unresolved issues? Have you accomplished everything you wanted to do or have done enough to be ok to be swept away by the Reaper? I ask these things with no particular person in mind, this is something I wonder if anyone besides me has asked these questions for themselves.
As dour as this post may have been, the reason behind this post is that I found myself alone with my thoughts as I nurse my injury back to health. It also didn't help when a death occurred on island that involves a fellow uniformed member. I may be curt with the island leadership and policies, but something as tragic as death, be it with intent, accidental or self inflicted, is no laughing matter in real life. The next post will be back to normal.
No comments:
Post a Comment