Thursday, May 31, 2007

Five Friends to a Hand

After hurricane Katrina I had to say good bye to Gall, Strobel, Price and others that I had known since basic training and the beginning of tech school. These men had become closer than my own brothers and better comrades than I had ever had before. But as they were to be evacuated and I stayed behind our journey together came to an adrupt halt. Some of the friendships would erode away over time like the Mississippi shoreline had during the storm. But it seems in our lives, especially the military life, our relationships are shortlived yet engrave us with experience and quench our thirsts whatever they may be.

My bestfriend here at Beale, Cheryl, has recently left for a middle east deployment. Due to my own scheduled deployment we will not see each other for 7 months. Of course there is email, letters and other forms of communication. I am going through withdrawals. Although she and I will just pick up where we left off when we meet up in December it is hard to not hate the interim period.

Other cultures drawf us for the short life spans of many of our relationships through our lives. Countries in the middle east and asia pride themselves with few relationship but life long relationships. Their countersign against the western saying "you can never have too many friends" is "you should have no more friends in you life than that which you can count on one hand. Focus on those few." At times I can not help but agree with them.

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