Getting Closer, A Kick in the Head

The end is in sight... just four more weeks to go after this one. Then there is likely to be leave for a few days and then off to the wild wild west.

Last night, getting ready to go to sleep, the thought struck like a slap to the head, "I can't believe that I'm doing this." I said it out loud. One of my roommates, for whose privacy I shall call 'The Highlander,' said, "Can't believe that you're doing what?"

"All of this," I replied. All of this. It was a reality kick. At my age, doing all of this.

Not like I don't live this reality every day... it's just that sometimes there is a sudden perspective shift and it just seems so wierd. This thing is waaaay bigger than I am. It's bigger than any of us. Thank God I don't feel like that all the time, or I'd be overwhelmed every day. It's kind of fun to have that feeling once in a while, though.

I'm not overwhelmed this morning. I'm waiting for our classes to begin. Classes for the next three days, then next week it's live fire exercises on the range from moving vehicles. The week after that is "shoot house." We will practice clearing buildings with live ammunition. The most dangerous thing we will do here. Someone could shoot someone else so easily.

We may get enough leave at the end of all of this to go home for a few days. Perhaps as much as a week.

I can't wait to see my kids again.