Semper Fi and Seizures

The United States Marine Corps has always had a special spot in my heart, due to their belief in honor, courage, and commitment. They are always the first in, first out, and they do not leave anyone behind. If there's a group of folks that I want in my foxhole, if I was called to serve, it would be none other than the Marines. Semper Fi, "always faithful." On a recent tour of civil war battlefields, I slipped up and accidentally called the near ninety year old gentleman "a former Marine." There is no such thing, and while I worried about getting knocked around by his swagger stick, thankfully he showed benevolence and reminded me in a kind way that he was still on duty.

Imagine for a moment, your child dying of a seizure. What would you feel? Wouldn't it tear your heart apart, the very essence of your soul, making you question everything you've been raised to believe your entire life. You are supposed to outlive your children, not the other way around. That is the "natural order" of things, since isn't life supposed to be predictable, like the sun rising from the east and lowering in the west, or turkey and pumpkin pie being served at Thanksgiving? Not exactly. A brave Marine lost his child a little while back, a man who has been engaged in the heat of battle, where all of your survival "fight or flight" senses are tested to a maximum velocity. First in, First out. Marines face challenges that no other branch of the military will, due to the fluid changes of battle upon landing in a zone that has not been mapped yet, and are not certain of potential pitfalls that lay in their direction.

A seizure took the life of this brave Marine's child, who served our country with honor, courage, and committment. He told me that losing his son was "worst than combat." I have never served in combat, and my street fights pale in comparison, and these words hit hard when thought about and deciphered. Imagining what this man has seen in the field, having bravely served his country, and then to have this happen, seems to much of a burden for one person to carry. Semper Fi. Yet he is faithful. Always faithful. He has every right to be upset, angry, miserable, and confused about the whole situation that's been thrown his way. As if he had not already experienced enough pain, add this on top of the "pie", and its not whipped cream and cherries, but rather a knife to the soul that will never be healed. Semper Fi. Yet he is faithful.

In life, there are no guarantees. No matter what your religious background, look at any text of note from any faith, and you will see people just like us who have had to face tragedies. There are natural disasters in the Bible, just like there are people suffering what looks like the apocalypse in Japan. People will always suffer, and while it is horrible, what matters is that we keep our faith in the eyes of such challenges. These trials and tribulations, the "crosses we must bear," are not easy. That's why the Marines have it right. Semper Fi-always faithful. A cure for seizures must be found, and with the honor, courage, and commitment that the Marines have always shown, we shall win this battle with love and dedication with a decisive victory.