Today has been a Tuesday. Sort of a Monday from the clearance and half-price section, if you will.
Today’s 59 second exercise is…
Think about one of the most wonderful experiences of your life. Choose one experience and imagine yourself back in that time. Remember what was going on around you at that time. Now spend a few minutes and write a description of that experience and how you felt. Do not worry about spelling and grammar. Simply commit your thoughts to paper.
There was this moment in boot camp at MCRD San Diego. We were coming up to the home stretch. It was late October. We’d screwed something up in practice for the marching we were going to do at graduation, and our DI’s had us hold our rifles out at arm’s length. Because we were so close to the end, they were exceptionally hard on us. I remember we were facing north, toward the parade ground. We had our dress uniforms on. It was late afternoon, and the shadows were juuust starting to stretch their legs. There was no breeze. And we held those rifles there…the minutes went on and on…and our arms all started to shake. When one guy would lower his rifle, we all got a 10 second break, then we’d start over.
For once, I was never that guy. Pletcher, yes. Patel, yes. A few other guys…but THIS time, it was NOT. ME.
That was the singular moment when I knew I’d been forever changed by the experience.