Keeping Things in Perspective

So I go to Crossfit, and I love it... not just because it's a great workout, usually kicks my butt, and makes me feel strong, but also because it's fun just to meet and talk with people along the way who are putting their bodies through similar punishment in the endeavor to be better human beings...

Anyway, after today's workout while I was stretching, I found myself introducing myself to the guy beside me as I've seen him there a few times, and at that point it's almost awkward to not know each other (it just seems to be the Crossfit way, besides my own way - know who you're working out with so you can encourage each other, etc.). Turns out he's a Marine in between tours... I'd say he was a few years younger than me, has already done one tour in Iraq, and will be on his way to Afghanistan in February. We talked for a few minutes about it - I asked him if he was ever scared, to which he replied sometimes, but more about the leaving than the actual being there, and we had a good discussion about making peace and how important that is (totally weird, I was just discussing this the other day...ugh). I thought it was so sweet, too - he said the hardest part last time was saying goodbye to his mother, so if he could just get through that this time ok he was pretty sure he could handle Afghanistan as it's where he feels he needs to be for his country. I was so "in thought" about all of the wise things he was saying that I forgot to say thank you, so now I'm excited to tell him tomorrow!

And yesterday, Kendyl had me in tears talking about a coworker (she didn't know him personally) who died this week... apparently he was an older guy, wife, 2 teenage kids, and his wife had been sick with cancer for awhile but she's been doing so much better lately... They were on their way back home from one of her treatments, and a drunk driver hit them. When first responders arrived he was yelling at them to get his wife out first, and they followed his instructions, and as soon as they had her free the car burst into flames and that's how he died... in sacrifice for his wife, who was sick, but he still gave his life for hers... oh yeah I cried (and tearing up again). Kendyl and I went over the hypothetical "wow, do you think you really would do that in that situation?" and I responded to her honestly by saying that there are probably only a handful of people that I can honestly say I really and truly wouldn't think twice about it giving my life up for like that...

I've had some amazing, fun times lately - an awesome weekend in Austin recently with two of my best friends where I crossed off the bats with Cody and Cade (I've always wanted to see that), seeing Sylvia and Patrick get married and having the honor to stand up beside them as they did, going to Alaska and seeing some of God's biggest and most mysterious creatures up close, and of course fun trips with Kendyl like Muddy Buddy and Costa Rica... it's all been awesome, and all of it has been a nice reminder of what is most important in life.

It's all about keeping perspective... and I think it's no coincidence that everything comes down to love :-)