It’s currently raining at my house, but, I can’t hear it outside my windows. Instead I have put on 9 hours of rain storm on black screen and lite candles, one wood wick candle and two others. I am starting to see a lot of military stuff come up in my feed in Facebook and on Instagram. Many people I served with put some of their proudest moments as their profile picture in honor of Veteran’s Day. A true holiday that I take off, no matter if I’m working at a store, in an office, in a bank, and now working for the feds again, at the local VA clinic. For the two last ones, I already get that day off even when the day falls on a weekend. So, yay me.
I wanted to go for a run this afternoon, but the gale force winds from today really killed it for me. I remember last year, when I was cleared to run again after surgery, I had a really hard time getting up to go run at 5 in the winter time in the cold mornings. This year, I have a new headlamp that I bought and of course my Noxgear lights for both myself and the Yolandi Dog. I try to stay visible and make sure to not have the music on too loud and pay attention and all of that good jazz, but, I got into a talk with my husband about a story I read on our company website and I didn’t go run.
Now this website will feature human interest stories as well as informational things being passed down from the director himself. This afternoon, I flipped over to that page and there was a story that got a great discussion going between Thomas and I. A gentleman was turning 102 and he was talking about his time serving in the US Navy. During WWII. In the Pacific theater, the South Pacific. During Guadalacanal. On the USS Chicago.
Many may not know about this battle, though, I hope that many are curious enough to want to learn about our nations history, this was a battle where things didn’t go well for us at all. The USS Chicago is now 3 miles under the waves there. The story grabbed my by the gut and I had a hard time not getting all teary eyed. He’s lived a long life, had a good sailing career, survived in the ocean at night during a major naval battle. I can’t imagine how scared one must be in that situation.
Gotro came outside to talk to us and we began to talk to her about this story and about this man and then we got into the battle strategy and how we were just not prepared for what they knew and what we didn’t know. I have read books about these kinds of things. One was called Into The Depths, about the USS Indianapolis and how he had survived in the open ocean for three days, floating not in a life boat. He talked about hearing the men scream from being attacked and eaten by the sharks, because make no mistakes, they are out there in the ocean, and they will eat you, if they can, if you’re bleeding and broken and can’t move fast. You’re a sitting duck in that case. I digress.
When we got inside, we had dinner together and watched a really cute Christmas movie. Well, Gotro and I watched it, Thomas was asleep very quickly into the movie. After it was over, she went upstairs to her room and I put a movie on to help him sleep a while. I put on Saving Private Ryan. Ordinarily, I would put something on like a documentary of a battle or history of the pyramids or whatever. But I put this movie on knowing that he will sleep very soundly to that movie. For the first time, I was able to get through watching the first 30 minutes. So much blood on that beach, so many men who lost their lives before they even made it onto the shore and further up it. It was a horrifying site and I watched it. I forced myself to do so. Everyone who comes to my office for help, be it man and woman is a Veteran. Many of them are Veterans from wars and have seen combat, have been in hand to hand combat, and have had to kill others in order to survive. I watched the part at the very beginning where Tom Hanks’ character is stunned from something going off in his ear and he stops and looks around for a moment while still on the actual beach, but not quite out of the water yet. I feel that when I am told some stories about being in combat.
It’s rare that I have a WWII Veteran come in, but when I do, I feel like I hit the lottery just getting to talk to them, even if it’s a brief encounter to help them with checking in for an appointment. I love to see them, there aren’t a lot of them left these days. Following that, there is a large population of Vietnam Veterans. I have a few favorites, but, that’s because I have known them for a very long time. One I know from when I started working, he knows my parents as well. He was so proud of me when I told him I was going into the navy, and I feel so lucky to get to talk to him now. One I met while working at the bank, he’s a Korean War Veteran. I call that a forgotten war, thus forgotten soldiers. There are fewer of them around than what I would like, but, our bodies don’t live forever. They are designed to give out. But the stories that they have, wow. I will always sit and listen to what they have to say, even if I am still working on something else while they are talking to me. I love them all. Even the ones who truly are grumpy old men. But, I have a great deal of respect for them all as well. They all said at one point, I am willing to go into a war I may or may not agree with, and die for the freedoms that we are all able to enjoy here in America.
Every one of them is fighting their own battles with their bodies, and their minds now. They are old and they are young. Many have seen things they cannot share with others out of fear. Many, myself and my husband included, feel that the civilian life doesn’t make sense. There is no certainties with it. You don’t stay until the job is finished in many places, you stay until it’s time to go home. You never really understand how your job makes a difference to the company mission. It’s hard to talk to people who haven’t been in the service. They don’t always get it. My stories intimidate the fuck out of men. Specifically men, yes.
I don’t know if I will run on Friday in time to get home and see Silas before he goes back to his dads house, and I don’t know if I will remember to stretch. Following an appointment, I’m going to see two of my sisters. I’m not staying the night, Gotro has a school function to go to on Saturday morning, so we have to be back anyways. But I will think of the Veterans that I love. The ones that were on my first ship, the ones that were in boot camp. The ones that were with me in A school and C school. The ones from my last ship. The ones who I really disliked, the ones who hurt me, and every other one of them. They are my people. I am going to aim for 3 miles. I can do it. A 5k for my own Veteran’s Day celebration.
Update 15Nov
Turns out I did not get my run in. I did my 5k yesterday. I’m still getting shin splints in the one foot but I’m pretty sure that it’s from not getting full extension on my left foot as it’s going through the movements. And perhaps my heel strike. Could be it’s because it’s still trying to mend itself. 🧐🧐🧐 ……. Nah!
As I was getting ready to go to the valley, I got a text from my little sister asking if I wanted to go to the Elton John concert that night. Yes. So we went and watched the concert. Wow. Does he ever put on a show!! It was amazing. I am saddened a great deal when I think of why I got the tickets- friend was admitted to the hospital. More like a sister than a friend rather. She’s doing better now but that was a frightening thing.
I am wanting to go run on a regular basis. Right now I find it so hard to go do it. It kills me to not go outside and run but at the same time I am not loving the muscle tightness and it’s cold. I’m stalling and it will likely win today. That’s ok. It happens. Until next time, dear reader 🙃
The Morning High Runner 