Friendship

It’s hard to believe that it has been 2 weeks since my last blog entry. I have not had any hero workouts in between but I have been crazy busy with other events. In that time I have run a 5k and a spartan race. I have also marched in 4 parades. I marched in our normal Friday evening parade on June 15th but the really cool parade was the sunset parade on June 12th. That was our first ever parade at the Lincoln memorial. They say that we had a crowd of 8,000. I don’t know if that number is true but I do know that the scene is very iconic. This week we also marched in an honors ceremony for the Mexican and Brazilian Commandants which was interesting. Finally on Wednesday, we marched in the Marine Barracks change of command. So it has been a really busy two weeks for me as far as drill is concerned. I have also been logging miles in preparation for the Marine Corps Marathon in October. I officially start training in July but I want to make sure I have a good base before I start training hard. 

I’m going to keep this blog short because I’m going to hit you with a slew of blogs next week as the hero workouts ramp up. What has been on my mind lately is friendship. I’m talking about true friendship and what it means. I don’t have any really close friends. I’m sure there is a reason for that, maybe it’s me I don’t know. I think I am a like-able person and I know that I have great qualities. I also know that I call it as I see it and that’s not usually well liked. My approach can be abrasive I’m sure but that’s who I am. I never mean to hurt anyone. But my take on friendship is that it shouldn’t be hard. It really shouldn’t require work. A true friendship should be fluid. It should not be agonizing and tiring. If a friendship zaps energy from me I move on. I can’t deal with it. I’m not saying that friends don’t lean on each other but there are some people who will just absolutely drain you. Then when you need them or you are having your issues and need a friend, they don’t give the same energy. 

I have not had a true give and take friendship since my cousin Bryan died almost 23 years ago. I wish I had one because him and I had that fluidity that makes a friendship work. We brought out the best in each other. I miss him everyday and I miss having a friend like him too. I wonder if it’s even possible to make that kind of bond with someone at the age of 41? I was at a retirement today and the Marine retiring talked about his friends that he grew up with and how they are his best friends. I envy that. I don’t have anyone in my life that I can call a lifelong friend. I do have a few great friends that I love and admire very much, maybe I should be thankful for that. I don’t know. I’m rambling.

Today’s hero workout epitomizes what friendship is about. There is no greater feat that one can achieve than to die in the attempt of saving your friends. That is what Staff Sergeant Jared Monti did in Afghanistan in 2006. For his actions he was awarded the Medal of Honor. While we certainly wouldn’t expect our friends to die for us, his actions that day can be compared to what we want out of a true friendship. No regard for yourself and what you need, just willing to do whatever you need to do to help your friend. We could only hope to be as good a friend as Staff Sergeant Monti was. In honor of him I completed his hero workout.

https://www.army.mil/medalofhonor/monti/citation.html

5 Rounds for Time

50 Box Step-Ups (45/35 lb barbell, 20″ box)

15 Cleans (135/95 lb)

50 Box Step-Ups (45/35 lb barbell, 20″ box)

10 Snatches (135/95 lb)

I had to scale because my technique is not where it needs to be on the snatch and clean. I scaled to 95/65. I completed the workout in 59:15.