Called to Serve

 
 

Two Marines from Minnesota died today. One received much notice on the local news channels, of how he was only married for three months and died in the war in Afghanistan. Another also died, but it was not from war, rather it was from complications of pneumonia while stationed in Camp Pendleton, CA. Does this fact make him any less of a patriot? I say no. Knowing the conditions of our sad, sorry world, he signed up anyway for the toughest military we have, the Corps. In only six short months after joining, he has now gone to meet his Maker. I have known him since he was in kindergaten. He and my son were best frends. and now....the world will be just a bit quieter without his presence.
I received a response from my previous day's column that I will share here. It is relevant and thought provoking. Read on: from rob: "Take care in the others around you, You may not have them tomorrow. Remember that come next Tuesday!!"

and another response:  from Andy W. "I am still here, rob, and to all who may have wondered where the old drunk is, I have been working at a job that pays little but keeps me responsible to some point. To the gal who wondered, may I answer this one? Because I did that also, and my wife slowly began to hate me. She wanted to leave but I begged her to stay, which she did, but our marriage was never the same. I look back with pain and regrets now, because I wasted a good life with a wonderful woman due to the booze. All I can say is: show your man this column and tell him he needs to wake up and realize that life is short, just as rob said. He needs to know that at any time it can end. Tell him your love for him is greater than his need for booze. If that don't wake him up, nothing will. I hope it works."

Although these comments are from a post about a marathon that my sister in law is running on Saturday, it also applies to the marathon we each face every day. Our pain, our fears, our struggles be they from booze or drugs or illness or whatever, the bad and the good, the sad and the ecstatic...I encourage one and all to meet these "marathons" in your lives, because it can make us better, stronger, able to meet each challenge head on. We really do NOT know when our end will come. Who ever thought an 18 year old, who had his whole life ahead of him, would instead leave nothing but memories? I implore you---take nothing for granted! Step into the challenges and risks of life and embrace it! You only have TODAY! Make the most of it.

Semper fidelis, Pvt. Nickolai Jensen.