Brookes’ Bytes

This morning, in order to stay with my running schedule, I was at the gym when it opened. For those of you who are night owls, don’t cringe in fear of the morning hours. We morning people are not freaks, just as much as you are not freaks either. Lol. My alarm was due to ring at 5:30, but a drippy ceiling woke me up at 4:45 and I just couldn’t go back to bed.

I’m glad.

Because by the time I’d eaten some eggs and driven over to campus, I was fully awake. And it’s always better to exercise when you’re fully awake, I figure, lest you drop weights on yourself or unexpectedly pass out in aerobics class.

I was temporarily proud of myself for being the first gym member on the track, until I heard a commotion in the basketball courts below me. The ROTC division at UC was booting up. Har har har. And as I made my laps, their hooahs and jumping jacks sort of made their way into my head despite my loud tunes. Seeing them in their perfectly straight lines, all awake and disciplined like that was…well…inspiring! It made me think of my Aunt Yvonne and Uncle Paul doing their basic training, and Nayt’s friend Garrett who’s off blowing things up. As strange as it seems, this small encounter allowed me to glimpse just a bit of the sacrifice and dedication countless people make every single day for our country.

It’s difficult to pin-point my exact thoughts about war, armies and how international politics should be run. But I can say this, I feel indebted to those who serve in our military. People who sacrifice time, who discipline their bodies to be efficient machines, people that are willing to change their habits and lifestyles for people they don’t know should be honored, in my opinion.

If you’re serving our country, or have in the past, I’m sure there have been a few moments that have made you question your service. I will never know the specific sacrifice you made, but from this person…thank you.