Three Lives

I have, so far, lived three distinct lives which are connected but distinct, in my mind. My first life was as a young and growing male, say between the years of 0 to 17 years. The so-called "formative years." A lot of ground breaking, forming and pouring the foundation that in all likelihood influences, both positively and negatively of course, the other lives I have lived.

The second and most influential life I lived is and was a Marine Life. This one the most distinct because it took me so far outside the "box" which was life as a youth - a youth of change, fluctuation and frustration, you know like most males.

As a Marine I find on reflection that the intensity and exposure to things most "civilians" will never encounter tend to heighten that experience as if one actually lived an entire and complete life. When I joined up, met those first drill instructors who kindly invited me to "get off the #$%^&*# bus and get on the yellow footprints" was a bit like a "rebirth." My formative years were then re-encoded the Marine way. As I morphed from scumbag civilian to Marine I changed distinctly and completely where even today I blurr any distinctions that may arise from my first life to that of Marine.

Those ten years could be a condensed life one normally lives of say fifty plus years. As one DI told me later at Parris Island, that life is what you make of it while a Marine, good or bad or both - I had both. It was a very good life and I can tell you that it is as I say it is for me simply because over thirty-one years passing I still have influences of a Marine - after all, once a Marine, always a Marine. I am learning late in life the true meaning of that statement.

Once I ended my ten years service I chose to assume another life. One that took me into some very "black-box" disciplines that are not to be spoken of or about for another sixteen years or so, if ever.

Anyway, I have and am leading a most interesting lives and can tell you from my associations it is a somewhat moderate to easy set of lives for many of those former and current associations have far exceeded my imagination as to their lives - professionals, true pro's.

Think of the opportunities you may still have in living not one life but rather many interconnected and sometimes distinct lives - amazing.