<img src=“https://nice-marmot.net/Archives/2024/Images/IMG_0314.JPG" alt=“Photo of a baseball cap with the words, “Don’t give up the ship” embroidered on it.">

This is the hat I wear on my morning walks these days. You can see the sweat ring beginning to form, and the darkness of today's perspiration.

Anyway, Leonard Cohen's Suzanne came to mind as I walked this morning. I was thinking about encountering a neighbor who might "thank you for your service" me. (I didn't.)

As you may be able to tell, I'm coping with recent events by blogging a lot here. So, in that vein, let me say to all the hypothetical, insincere people who might feel as though they ought to "thank you for your service" me: Your thanks are not required.

It was an honor and a privilege to serve America under oath, in uniform for twenty-six years, twenty-two of them as a commissioned officer in the United States Navy.

And I am so very grateful to this nation for entrusting me with this honor and this privilege.

I would do it all again, in a heartbeat.

Finally, Leonard Cohen's Suzanne came to mind as I walked the sidewalks of this over-55 community, where probably two out of three of my neighbors voted for the man who is the antithesis of everything my service stood for. It came to mind because of the analogy I made of character as the vessel that conveys our souls.

I guess I'm feeling kind of religious.

Anyway, this came to mind:

Finally, may I humbly request of my small audience, if you feel any today's posts have any worth or merit, today at least, please share them. (Use the permalinks. This will scroll off the home page tomorrow.)

Thank you.

Originally posted at Nice Marmot 07:54 Monday, 11 November 2024