2021-07-30 - 9:08 a.m.

Dear God, Bless this young Marine recruit who busted his ass on Paris Island believing he had some compelling reason to the call to service of our country in that capacity, hoping to be a US Marine.

It is something I do understand. There is a certain zeal and focus and unwavering commitment without question required
but also character
Character to ethically know when to question authority

Which I felt this man had.

YES this young man went through some things.

He was not naive

Not blind in his choice.

He has a mother who served ; and a step father who served and a brother currently active

and was so proud.

His mama both proud and conflicted with her fear for the well being and safety of her son as she said goodby and dropped him off at boot camp.

Prayers for this young man now in a hospital

It was first said to be dehydration

But there is injury to his spinal column.

His spirit and constitution may have been strong enough but in a moment his body was not.

That happens to us all at some points.

Mind over matter does not always work.

We can not always heal our bodies by healing our spirit or willing ourselves to be healed.

So prayers for this young man whom I had pleasure of meeting.

He is the child of my friends.

I met him at the MCM as he supported the Semper Fi Fund team and I ran alongside his mother, my friend.

I am sending a card; to him and will make a very long overdue phone call.

I did not avoid that, but just was waiting until I had time uniterrupted.

She has a support of loving family and friends with a rich life. But I want to reach out to her as I think only another mother can really understand some things. Only another mother can be silent and listen if that is what she needs.

Without trying to fix it.

Some things may be fixed.
Some may not be but accepted with love...

The way she loves her husband as he is.

In a way so beautiful. She knows how to not trigger him. (Something as a friend I would do inevitably in a few days time... or a few hours time...LOL Just by BEING ME....
we have a deep friendship, oh yes this is the Marine in my life. But know our limits of our friendship.)

I am so humbled by his wife's capacity for love and how amazing of a person she is.

I recently donated some old T shirts and let go of a few I just don't need. I have enough, I need not a T-shirt to remember the 10K I ran with him in North Carolina, the hilarious run in which we both went the wrong way completely oblivious-

He in his TBI Brain and me in my ADHD brain...

we inadvertedly cut off a loop and came in like winners....

to those who thought we were trying to cheat

It was so hilarious.

We were oblivious.

And disqualified from the official race but we had such a laugh when we realized the confusion of our selves, initially clueless of the error.

I have so many fond and yes hilarious memories.

So prayers for this young man.

I am sending a card and am not yet sure what to say-

Other than

Keep being strong and keep being you and keep up your spirits as best you can at this very challenging time. Many are celebrating your beautiful efforts and the service you have entered into and praying for your healing and happiness.

Thy will be done,

That is my prayer... that he is at peace with whatever happens and has a faith to be grounded to know all will be OK

even when not envisioned. And I pray the Our Father with conviction that there is some special gifts of this unique young man and some special way just for him to manifest them - be it in service as he envisioned or otherwise.

I believe that. It sounds hokey to a non believer.
It sounds like a cop out when nothing more or less to say. I think of it as nothing less to say

but pray and believe in grace of God and that we are in his hands in the end.

But some think of it as a moment when there is nothing more to say and faith is the fall back, and empty explanation

Wittgetnstein said it best.

“Whereof one cannot speak, thereof one must be silent.”

We don't know what we don't know and sometimes just being present for another, with another is enough.

I don't know if this young man is a believer or a doubter-- but regardless it hardly matters as what I want to tell him is less about my faith and believe in prayer than to convey he is NOT alone.

God or no God
He is not alone
Collectively many are sending love and support.

How to convey that in a card... I don't know where this young man is at emotionally...
so want to just convey presence of concern and prayer.

Will keep it simple;

and call his mother and if she wishes to speak.

Listen and be present,

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