LIVE Your Life

Recently I have read some very sad dispirited posts from some facebook friends and posts by others stating they just wanted to be happier next year. Many people feel apathetic, especially around this time of year. They feel their life is not where it should be, or they are lonely and dejected due to abandonment, or maybe they are suffering the heartache of a loved ones loss.

Life is a constant roller coaster, it may not always be high, but if you give it a chance it will not stay low either. I like the old Jimmy Stewart movie, “It’s a Wonderful Life”, where the Clarence shows him how much worse everyone would be without him. The same is true for most of us.

A few years ago, I was deployed to the Persian Gulf. At the time this happened, my wife Bonnie, had an accident and could not work for six months. Between my not being able to work a second job, and her injury, we lost two thirds of our income. We lost a house and had to file bankruptcy. Soon after this, my step-daughter took her life. I was thousands of miles from home and my wife was going through deep depression. I was worried she would harm herself. In short I felt my world was falling apart.

Feeling I was about to explode, I talked to my Master Chief. He suggested I talk to the ships Chaplain. When I went to the Chaplain’s office and told him of my worries, his response was “Oh, wow. Uh, wow. I don’t know what to say, I’ll pray for you.” While appreciating that he would pray for me, it didn’t help me feel any better. Things kept building up until I had a heart attack.

I was stabilized in the hospital ward on the ship, and since we were due to arrive at the port of Bahrain in two days, they planned to take me to the Emir’s hospital upon arrival. As you can imagine, I felt that things couldn't get any worse, then the Cole was blown up and all ships in the Persian Gulf were ordered to set sail and leave all ports.

After a few days the ship sent me to Bahrain, via helicopter. After I was released from the hospital and awaiting transfer to the states, the base gave me the task of helping the survivors of the Cole, as they were transferred, from the ship and sent to Bahrain, before travelling to Germany. I showed them were everything was located on base. Most of these young men and women were a mess, and I spent many hours lending a sympathetic ear, or a shoulder to cry on. I hope I helped them, and by trying to, I helped myself from the apathy I had fallen into.

After getting back to the states, I started working a second job again, and our financial lot improved greatly. My wife got better, and life got happier. My ship returned from its tour and things got back to normal.

The ship went out on maneuvers and we stopped in San Francisco. I got bored, while bar hopping with some friends, and decided just to walk around the city. It was about 2:00 am. I came across some street people all sitting together. With them was a young girl, about 19, who reminded me of my lost step-daughter. It struck me as especially sad to see someone, so young, there. I stopped and talked to them.

After talking awhile, the girl told me she had fought with her mother and left home. Now she was out of money, couldn’t pay for her room any more, and a man was trying to push her into prostitution. She was afraid to go back to her room where he would be.

I had a phone card, this was before I had a cell, and talked her into calling her mother. Her mother had been worried sick, and wanted her back home. I then took her to her room, not so politely told the wanna-a-be pimp what I thought of him, and got her things. I then took her to the bus station, and saw her on her way home. I don’t know what happened after she arrived home, but at least she had a chance to straighten out her life.

For a few years after, I was a CPR and First Aid instructor, so I stopped to help people whenever I happened on bad accidents. I only stopped when help had not arrived, so I was usually the first one to help with the trama.

What I am trying to get at is two fold:

1. When you are at your lowest, remember, life will get better, if you help it. It may take awhile, but it will.

2. When you have the opportunity to help others, do. It not only helps them, but makes you feel better about your life.

When life was at its worse, I contemplated jumping overboard. At that time it seemed easier to die, than to keep going on, but I have never been a quitter and too many people depended on me. Looking back, if I had taken that leap, I would have missed out on many blessings, and several people I did not even know at that time, would probably be worse off.

Live, love, and cry when you must, but don’t give up on life. It IS worth living.