All You Can't Leave Behind

We take a lot for granted in America. Most of us live lives of luxury and yet we think we don’t have enough. “Honey, we can’t afford the 735, maybe we can make do with the 535i”. Well here’s a test…..just leave it. Leave your beautiful home, your beautiful wife, your exceptional children, your best friends, your job (some of you might like that), your golf clubs, your seasons tickets, your F150, your dog, your bed, your clothes….everything you do everyday.

You get about three weeks notice to get everything wrapped up. Then, its off you go for year long deployment. That’s the way it is for most US Army Reservists when they get the call (some get as few as 7 days notice) . But, as a reservist you do it because, even though it's killing you inside, you’d hate yourself more if you didn’t go. For me, it was that way. I fulfilled my service obligation years ago and could have just walked away. But how could I when there were so many of my brothers and sisters in arms over there, leaving for over there and coming from over there? It’s no bull, our Soldiers (sailors and marines too) are the best of our young generation. The airmen are tolerable. I had to send too many of my Soldiers in the last three years not to go myself.

But the day eventually comes when you have to go to the airport and leave all that you can’t leave behind (as Bono says). Oh man, I don’t wish that on anybody. They all walked in with me, checked bags, then followed me to the atrium. We sat for a few minutes then it was time. I said, “Here’s the plan….I’m going to tell each of you bye, kiss you and just walk away. When I do, I’m not going to look back. Okay?” Like I thought that would be easier. I made it about two steps before I lost it. I just hung my head and kept walking. I did glance back just in time to see my babies go out of sight, their heads hung down too.

By the time I got down the jet way I had recovered. I found my seat and got out the MP3 player they bought me a couple of days before. Here’s how I’ll get through this; I’ll listen to some good music. But, it was an ambush. For each of the kids and Sharon had pre-loaded a song with a theme set to my leaving. Each had loaded a favorite song that served as a good bye message to me. And I lost it again, but quietly. Thank goodness I had a window seat. Even now it’s hard for me to listen to those first few songs on the MP3 player. Airborne Rangers are not supposed to be so emotional. Please keep it a secret.

Here’s the “From Us to U2” play list: From the girls - “Don’t Forget to Remember Me” (Carey Underwood), “We Belong Together” (Mariah Carey). From the boys - “Life of a Salesman” (Yellowcard), “Pass the Flame” & “Home with a View” (John Elefante). And from the love of my life - “Here We Are” (Gloria Estefan).

Airborne Soldiers will tell you....Jumping is easy, it's the landing that sucks. For citizen Soldiers, the duty is not too hard or too much to ask. But the leaving is a kick in the gut.