See you later  love…

I am meeting some good old friend for mid week beer and catch up. One of these friends you don’t see in ages but when you meet, you can tell from the brightness of his face and wideness of his smile, that the grace of God was in good supply throughout his absence. ‘

“Hey what’s with the growing tummy? Did gun powder become tastier”

[chuckles]

“It’s the wife! You know they make parts of us that were seemingly so skinny, grow more than we would imagine”

“Must be a good place to be?”

“Sure… haven’t been happier and we have a son too”

“You actually had time in between to stop, get a wife and baby…congratulations!”

[A little catch up, then to this questions I never really get to ask him]

We all know a man or woman in the disciplined forces and we either love them or hate them… in my world, there is never an in between emotion where both love and hate exist for the same person.

“So, for a man who joined the disciplined forces as a stepping stone, to whatever horizon, what is taking you so long to leave? ”

Rael, I have had my most defining moments from the fields and camps away from home. There have been countless nights when emergency calls came in and my teammates and I were too scared to go out on rescue missions because we feared for our lives but we went out.

A woman in labor with over 30 km to the nearest health facility,no hope of any vehicle in sight and in desperate need once stopped us on patrol. As the man in uniform you are trusted to help out, what do you do when the life of the mother and the unborn baby are in your hands? You roll your sleeves and do what is necessary, play the midwife!

In that moment of fear, the only question that comes to mind is … what if that was my mother, family or friend calling out for help and there was someone out there to help, but they were too afraid?

That thought alone is motivation enough to get me off my feet, say a prayer,take a good shot of some hard stuff  and run to wherever to help.

“So you actually pray!”

I don’t think there is anyone out there who prays more than the people in the disciplined forces. I don’t know what you are given when you get to work, because the first thing I am handed is a gun. What does that tell you? Our people have to be safe, I have to be safe and I have to try stay alive. Those are things only God can guarantee.

“Does death scare you..do you ever imagine you will leave your family earlier than is necessary? I mean, we are in safe places most if not all the time…not exposing ourselves to all threats out there”

No, we all die when our time comes! People sleep and never wake up, some slip on their bathroom floors and that’s the end, others by accident and some sickness. Were they in the battlefields or anywhere close? In the same breathe, some of us live longer than we would ever imagine. So until it’s your time, just live and be of good service to humanity.

“Ever wanted to quit?”

Yes, but not because of duty. I was homesick! There are days we stay away for so long  keeping our country safe, then it hits you..that all the therapy you need is just being home.

I want to cry, I want to hug him, instead I look at him and smile! That smile that holds tears back and forces it down the throat.. How many times do we stop to appreciate the people in the disciplined forces ? Love them or hate them, there is a man/woman out there whose prayer is to keep us safe and get back home safely and those are the people we are sending our love to… Happy Valentines!