The statement 'once a Marine, always a Marine' is in fact the truth. People come and go in your life. Some are meant to be there by your side for life and some are just passing by. It's hard to judge whether someone will forever be in your life or eventually turn into a distant memory at the onset of a friendship. The connection of two Marine's is for life. Their dedication to God and country strengthens their dedication to the Corps. It doesn't matter how much time has come between hellos, the brotherhood of the Marine Corps will weigh heavy on the heart and keep that connection alive.
Recently my husband was contacted by an old friends sister. The sister and my husband are Facebook friends and although his old friend never joined the league of social networkers; the sister was there to speak for her brother in his time of need.
My husband has known Scott since middle/high school. Scott is a few years younger than my husband, but his out going personality won over both under and upper classmen giving him a wide social circle. A few years after high school both Scott and my husband joined the Marine Corps. Scott was first to enlist, but at this point the two had lost touch and my husband, Chad, was unaware of his old friends future plans. Ironically Scott joined up with another fellow that I went to high school with me before I knew Chad.
Soon Chad enlisted and was off to boot camp. Both Scott and his friend John found out Chad was at boot camp and tracked him down. The two offered some semblance of home to Chad and in some aspect to themselves as well. The personal connection in a time of such uncertainty while joining the armed forces made the time away from family and friends a little easier. Those guys have no idea what those few moments, those simple hellos did for Chad during that time in his life.
I'm quite certain not one of those guys were aware this was the beginning of a brotherhood, a bond that can't and won't be broken despite time or distance.
And here we are today, Chad is in his car driving north to visit Scott, his fellow Marine, his former classmate. The unfortunate news Scotts' sister shared with my husband recently is that Scott is dying of cancer. His days are soon going to end.
For the past couple of weeks Chad has contemplated going up to see Scott in Georgia. He worried he would be in the way of a family trying to absorb as much time as possible left in this young man's life. But that Marine Corps bond, a sense of duty to a fellow Marine has persuaded him to take time out of his own busy life and go see his friend. And his time with Scott this weekend sharing old high school memories, trading Marine Corps stories may be short, but only proves the dedication to the end of a brother.
I really can't completely express my pride in my husband at this very moment. While many would say the drive is too far, the relationship is too distant, my husband looked within himself to give a couple of days of his life to this man before it's too late. Even after driving for many hours only to sit with Scott for just a short time, my husband is giving his time to Scott in honor of the Marine Corps brotherhood. The weekend lost, the cost of gas and the unfathomable heartache that will result from this trip is minor compared to what Scott is going through. It's that connection that those guys back in boot camp never knew would occur that makes this type of dedication possible.
This act is the essence of what makes up the brotherhood of a Marine.
If you are reading this and you are a Marine, I empower you to reach out to your brothers. Don't ever let that connection fade.
No comments:
Post a Comment