When the Smoke Clears

The days can be long, occasionally tedious, usually frantic. But there are chances for laughs and I get to know some of the most amazing men and women.

We hear about our friends deployed, try to keep each other updated on the latest which can be daunting considering how many hundreds go through here, how many thousands have left here.

And, yes, there are days when my right eye twitches. And I admit, I go on three-year cycles where I usually have to move on to something “else” just for a change of pace. Why else would a kid offered acting scholarships graduate college with a history and journalism degree only to find himself working IT with the military while doing volunteer medical work?

My latest three year cycle ended a few months ago.

It dawned on me this morning as I was driving into work, sun bright across the mountains, the clouds to the west in an amazing stacked formation of indigo on ash looking like a far greater mountain. I was smiling. I don’t know of many people who can say that day after day, aggravation after aggravation, the veil lifted on the initial fascination with a place, that they still smile, unconsciously, still consider themselves blessed to be a part of such a place.

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