Yesterday afternoon, a friend near and dear to my heart called me from somewhere far, far away...

I'm happy

As I write this, I am but three days away from graduating from the Military Intelligence Basic Officer Leader Course (MIBOLC). I've been away from familiarity in every sense for roughly six months; to say that it's been a rough road would be a great misuse of understatement. And yet, that is certainly not to say that it hasn't also been a good experience; twenty-six years of living have taught me that there is a sort of beauty to be derived from all things, if one seeks it out.

A select few people whom I met at Ft. Huachuca are the sole reasons that I've made it through this school. They are the nameless ones who -- perhaps, without realizing it -- picked me up just as I was on the verge of bottoming out as a result of personal tribulations nearly getting the best of me. Be it through an impromptu lunch date, or simply allowing me to weep until my tears ceased, they have made what initially presented itself as a hellish situation entirely worth all of the hardships that came with it.

Intrinsic to new friends, however, is a certain amount of heartache when one realizes that ways will soon part. Graduation from a short-term military school is always bittersweet for me, because it signifies not only successful completion of that particular duty, but also the physical separation of relationships that have formed in that particular situation. Such is life in the service of our great nation, however. The upside to all of this is that it is, in fact, a small Army -- and getting smaller, it seems -- and people seem to have a way of reuniting under surprising circumstances. It's been a beautiful experience, and I hope that those few will remain close throughout the years.