Love the Marines
Monday, May 31, 2010
Love the Marines
Marine
I was in the Marines, seems like a lifetime ago. My most vivid memory was during the first 24 hours we were at Parris Island. I was, you see, already a college graduate, and a worldly 22 years old.
The men, however, in my recruit training company, were not in fact men at all. Heads shorn, bumpy, blotchy and badly cut up, revealed only boys, if that. Honestly, some of them looked like children.
Gone immediately were all my beliefs about how Marines looked. There were no John Waynes in this group. Opie’s from Andy Griffith were more like it. It had the effect of scaring me, as I reflect now, since I was pretty sure I didn’t want to crawl from foxhole to foxhole enaged in hand-to-hand combat with babies as my backups.
But, I love the Marines, honest to goodness I do. I love them because in just 10 short weeks of pomp and pushups and punishment and pugil stick fighting and parade grounds and just the right amount of pride……these babies transformed into fighting men, men who were worthy to be called America’s finest.
It’s about to be Memorial Day again. I’ve seen quite a few now, and although I spend most of my time now helping families find real estate, buy homes, and figure out loans, I can’t ever stop being part Marine.
My wife, Beth, my two dogs, and even my mother-in-law love me, so no need to get gushy with me. But please, please find your way this coming week to come alongside a veteran, army, navy, airforce, coast guard or Marine, and love that person….love them with purpose. Their purpose is to serve, and all they ask is that we honor.
I love the Marines.
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