Tomorrow will be a slight change of pace for me. I will wake up, gather all of my camera gear, hop on a plane with ~20 other folks and fly onto an aircraft carrier. This was not something on my bucket list, it’s not something I ever imagined that I would have the opportunity to do. And frankly, I didn’t quite understand what this meant. My husband was kind enough to submit my name to participate in this adventure and I was beyond thrilled, and then instantly scared out of my mind when I received news that I was selected. From what my hubby tells me, landing and taking off on an aircraft carrier in the middle of the sea is the greatest rollercoaster ride of your life–and the most “violent”! He says, “you’re basically going from ~150mph to a controlled crash landing!” Let me tell you about the last time I rode on a rollercoaster…or maybe not. Let’s just say, it wasn’t pretty!
More exciting than the opportunity to do something very few get to do, is the the opportunity to meet some of the men and women on board the USS Ronald Reagan. These servicemembers have been at sea, and are headed home. I get choked up even thinking about it. I know a little of what they are feeling, what it feels like to miss someone you love. These men and women sacrifice so much. And their families, they too sacrifice so much. They miss things. Things they can never get back. They do this because they VOLUNTEERED to. They do it because of their strong sense of duty, their strong sense of something other than themselves. I always feel grounded when I remember those feelings. When I look at my neighbor who is stronger than strong, whose husband has been gone for several months. Or another neighbor, whose husband left today for 7 months. They barter their time, it’s all carefully calculated and it’s hard to understand how valuable that can be.
I hope to come home tomorrow with stories, and pictures of stories. I am looking forward to having this chance to share a little piece of what others do when they work for you and I, at sea, for months upon months at a time. As they say in Hawaii, I look forward to talking story with you…this should be a good one!
…and because every post needs a picture
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