A Strange Feeling

I'm not going to try and be gracious about it.  I hung out with the smart kids in high school.  Most every single one of my friends were either IB Diplomates or pretty darn close (as in, they decided to just not take TOK or something like that).  As such, even though a lot of people from my high school joined the military, only three of them were my friends.  Two went to West Point (one straight out of high school, the other transferred there a year later), and one went to civilian college but is now a commissioned officer in the Navy. 

The one that went to West Point straight out is done now, and is now finishing airborne training.  The other West Pointer is still at West Point.  The Navy one was deployed this past week to the Middle East for nine months. 

It's a strange feeling.  Lots of people have been deployed in this latest of American Wars.  Even people I know.  But it kind of struck me when it was a high school friend.  I'm very grateful to him and all.  But, I think it was just the thought that he's my age, my walk of life (in many ways). 

I have no resolution to these feelings, and I can't even really put a word to identify the feelings.  I suppose I have never been very good at expressing myself.  But I thought I would just put it out there that it feels odd.

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