A day to remember

Veteran's Day. 11/11/11. This is a day where we honor those of us that have dedicated their lives to protect the freedoms that we have come to take for granted. Most of us do not enter the military. I am one that ended up choosing to not join at the last moment. That is a story that I have told no one, not even my wife. I was just out of high school. Graduated, thinking of college, my girlfriend, all the stuff that a guy my age should be thinking of. I had talked it over with people I trusted. My parents, my friends at school and church, even my football coach. Believe it or not, he could listen real good when he needed to, or when someone needed him to. I thought I had made my decision. I was going to go out, sign the papers, and become a Marine. That is what I had always told myself I would be if I were to join the armed forces. My parents told me their opinion. They wanted me home, going to school, where they thought I would be safe. I was not worried about being safe. I could hold my own. I proved it a few times in college. The night before I was going to go to the recruiting office, I had a long night. I was laying in bed thinking of what I was going to do the next day. I was excited. I was stoked. I was ready to go. I remember the dream like it was last night. I was sitting in my living room in Jerome, and I was talking with a man there on the couch. The only detail I can NOT remember was who I was talking to. I just know it was a man. We were talking about my reasons for joining. I wanted to be part of something great, and the Marines would help me do that. I would be part of the greatest fighting force in the world. Funny part is that I really do not like to fight. But we were talking, and it got to a point in our conversation where I asked him what he thought about me going off to be in the military. He sat there, quiet and in thought. He told me that it was my decision. "There is nothing that I can or will do to change your mind on what you want to do" he told me. "This is your choice, and I will not take that from you. I do believe, though, that if you stay you will be part of something much greater. I believe that you have a very important work to do here." I remember sitting there and thinking of what he meant. He never told me what he was talking about. When I woke up the next day, I had a complete change of heart. I was not going off to be a Marine. And I was ok with that. Not for fear of what was to come if I enlisted. I had that feeling that I was to be doing something else one day, and that being part of the military was not in the picture. I still showed up at the recruiter's office. I went and told him that I appreciated the time and effort he put into giving me all the info I would need to make an educated choice, but that I would not be signing my life away at that moment. He tried to get me to change my mind. At one point, another soldier came in and made some comment about "being a pussy and not being man enough." He left that day with a dislocated arm, and the recruiter shook my hand. I have always respected the men and women that have served this great country. This includes friends, family, people that I treated as family. I still think of them that way. You all know that you have my respect, my thanks, and my support. I may not like the idea of fighting, but sometimes you have to. To all those that have served, will serve, or are serving now. Thank you, for everything.