A Fresh Start

Friends, countrymen, lend me your ears...

If you are reading this, you are probably familiar with who I am, at least on a basic level. Just for ease, I will lay it down for you. My name is Will, and my nicknames over the years have been many: Willy, Will, Big Will, Big Willy, Large William (for polite company), Iron Will, Psycho (thanks to Coach Laura Dunn at the Wick), VIZ, and probably some that aren't quite as flattering that were/are applied when someone is not pleased with me. However, I remain, ME. I enjoy quotes of all kinds, though my best for reciting are those from movies, I believe that those from men far greater than myself can be used to learn without going through the experiences they have. I use the word men, of course, in the same sense as the writers of the Declaration of Independence did, not meaning those of the male gender, but rather those of mankind. Besides just quotes, I have a great appetite for history, and the events that led the world to its current place. All of these can, and indeed have, affect on all of us. It is only our failure to not learn from them. But I digress.

I begin this blog on 7 December 2009, only technically, because of midnight's passing just recently, but 7 December it is. Those who I hold most dear know of the events of the past week or so, and indeed the past four months, and may be interested to discuss them with me. If so, please contact me privately, as I'm not one to wear my heart on my sleeve and parade my business across cyberspace. I suppose it seems a bit off-putting to read a blog by a guy that says he doesn't want to wear his heart on his sleeve, yet he writes for untold numbers on the internet, but I have no apologies. I do not intend to curse like a sailor on this blog, but subjects and language may not be agreeable to everyone. I regularly use every word in the English language, and choice ones from others, to express myself. Consider yourself warned. Read, or do not, comment, or do not, either way, I'm going to live my life.

Future posts may be much shorter, but I do intent to update regularly. This writing will serve not as entertainment for you, the reader, as much as it serves my own purposes of crafting my thoughts into a (hopefully) readable format out of the bag of scrabble letters from whence they came.

The rest of this post will fill you in on my own personage, and perhaps give those in the know some insight into why my past week went as it did.
I am no Saint, I have never claimed to be, nor am I anywhere near perfect, yet I strive to maintain a set of moral values that I feel is lost on many in this country, and even more so, the world at this time in history. Someone I once knew very well once told me that I visibly relaxed when I drove onto a military base, as if my worries were less, and she was right. One of the biggest advantages to being from a military background, as I am, is that I had the privilege to spend much of my life in the company of those who have dedicated their lives to something far greater than themselves. I hope to be one of those people soon, though my path has been beset by many roadblocks. I absolutely feel more comfortable on base, I was born as a Patriot, and I will take that to my grave. Too many in this country see only their own interests, and what can be done for them. This attitude is not what made America the greatest nation this world has ever seen. It was men like Patrick Henry, Thomas Jefferson, George Washington. Men and women who have borne the weight of the world on their shoulders as they try to improve it for others. My future, hopefully holds such an honor, being able to carry the weight of the world, and knowing that I can take it. Besides my values, and love of country, I have a sense of self that is unassailable. Now before anyone is taken aback, those who have seen me falter, at times, under the weight of my own current struggles in particular, that is a truer statement than I have ever spoken. I have let people in, and they have hurt me, when I say unassailable, I do not mean untouchable. But I WILL NOT BE BROKEN. You don't get a name like Iron Will pussying out when your coach decides you will swim the 200 fly and the mile on the same day at championships (and no, I'm not anything like Michael Phelps, I've never smoked weed...), or running a marathon with NO training whatsoever (or four of them for that matter). Those may be physical accomplishments of mine, but that is just on the surface. Ask any Navy SEAL whether it was his physical or mental toughness that did more for him during his training, its not even a serious question. The deeper the water, the more still it runs. This idea, in many forms, has been discussed throughout the ages by scholars, spiritual leaders, and countless others. Keep that in mind as you read this blog, not this post, but the whole blog, and I hope you feel fortunate to be let below the surface, even if it is just a peek.

My last words for this post will be about the events not to be discussed here. The title, A Fresh Start, describes my attitude and outlook on life right now. I am free, and I will be free. Never again will my spirit be imprisoned such that it has been until very recently. Until next time, keep it Big Willy Style.