Kentucky Revelation

I recently journeyed to Kentucky with the McNair Scholars cohort from Central Michigan University for what we call “boot camp”.  While there I had much time to have intellectual, entertaining and informative conversations with varying people within the cohort and from other cohorts.  While much of the time was structured for seminars and working on the material that we were presented with, there was also some time to explore and do things that were fun and exciting.  We were able to adventure out (and get lost a time or two) and have different experiences.  There was also time where I was able to be alone and reflect on many of the things that all of us were doing and what many of us would be doing in our future.

During one of these alone times I was running in the morning by myself and had the most beautiful picture of nature that I have ever had.  The sun was coming up over the water and you could see the breathtaking reflection of it on the water.  The smell of the fresh morning air and the sweat running down my back was refreshing and rejuvenating.  I could not help, but to think of twenty years ago while I was in another “boot camp” running in the morning with the rising sun and preparing for my future in the Marine Corp. 

What I realized during this reflection was that we are always being prepared to bring about a fresh new day.  During my time in Marine Corp boot camp I was preparing to serve my country and help those in need.  We all trained and did our job, so that people were able to get up in the morning and see that sun and know that they could go on about their lives without fear.  We trained and did our part so that others could accomplish theirs, no matter what it was.  Just like then, I am now training to bring about a new day in a different way.

I am no longer fighting the physical fight that I did then to help bring about the fresh new day.  Now I am preparing to forge a new day through the intellectual thought and challenges to what we know and what we do not know.  I am preparing to look at things in a new light and see things differently than before and to pass this on to others who will go on and do the same. 

This revelation was eye-opening, but the real epiphany was that I was not or had ever been going through this all alone.  Looking back on Marine Corp boot camp there were many young men training and preparing for a new day and there were many others who were also doing their part to help and do their part too.  Now I am training and preparing alongside many good men and women who are helping to bring up that beautiful sun and the fresh smell of the morning dew every morning.  Every day, we are all doing what we can to make sure that this will continue for generations to come.