Today was a day built for contemplation. We got our first
look at Wyoming. When we got in to our campsite last night in all of the wind,
cold, and rain, I fully expected to wake up to a bleak, barren wasteland.
Instead I woke up to gasps and "Look at that sunrise on those rocks--get a
picture!" from those that woke up before me. And when I emerged from the
tent, I realized that Wyoming is a big, beautiful place.
The van
ride was not bad, either. Some of the landscapes and views that we drove
through were remarkable. Wyoming has hills, that is for sure. But then you
reach places where you look out and can see farther than any person alive
should be able to. Those views made me think.
I
thought about my friends back home painting our local graffiti corn crib (it's
not a barn) in memory of Andy and Danny, and how improper it is for me to not
be there. I thought about that Boy Meets World episode where Mr. Feeny moves to
Jackson Hole, and I could picture Jeff living out here whenever (or if-ever) he
hangs his blue fleece up and gets out of Macomb for good. I thought of my
nephew, Maximus, and the teeth he has coming in.
Those
are, for the most part, trivial concerns. I got a bigger one when I saw a
beat-up copy of Catch-22 in a bookstore today. I love that book. And as I
flipped through it, a particular scene came to mind.
The
Chaplain, a timid, quiet, polite man had been living through some tough times.
He was worried about his family back home since he was stationed in Italy. He
had been seeing his friends come back dead, killed in action. He had been
bullied by Colonel Cathcart and General Dreedle. And finally, at the end, his
new best friend, Yossarian, is leaving. Leaving the Chaplain to live through
the rest of WWII. Leaving him with his bullies. And leaving him with death. And
leaving him alone.
But the
Chaplain isn't beaten into depression. Just as Yossarian realizes that he can
solve and escape the madness of war and his own life, the Chaplain makes the
decision to persevere. He'll stand up to what is bringing him down and he will
make it out, just like his friend is.
I've
always found that to be hopeful and uplifting. It's something I can apply to
ECOEE. After our weekend off, I've taken my foot off of the gas, so to speak.
It's time to put on my big boy pants and buckle up for the longest part of
ECOEE. Just like the Chaplain, I will persevere. And I'll be a better person
for it.
To
quote Eric Mathews, "Life's tough, get a helmet." Life is tough;
ECOEE is tougher. ECOEE will be the helmet that I put on to weather life.
I hope
that you all find your helmet and inner Chaplain. And if you can't find yours,
I'll share mine with you.
Most
Respectfully,
Anthony
Killion
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