‘Tomorrow I’m finally going out of Pendleton with Captain Priddy’ I wrote in an email hastily in the early morning. It is Thursday July 29th, 2010. Dates are important. Dates are time. Time is our greatest commodity. It is the one thing we waste the most and cannot recover again. There are no repeat performances to life. I was on my way to a celebration date, a ‘Life Day’.
“What a great treat for you and Priddy!
Have more than fun, see God”
Steve
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A moment in time
Steve’s words are vital to life itself. I kept his suggestion close and twisted them in my visuals as I drove down the I-5 towards Camp Pendleton, the USMC base in North County San Diego, CA. Led Zeppelin was blasting from my radio. Four Jet Skis lined up in step to my truck gleaming red hot streaks at a steady clip in the #2 lane in my side view mirror. I make the bend in the flow of traffic at Dana Point and the Big Blue Pacific Ocean looms its expanse into a deep prism of cobalt, a flat sheen. It’s going to be smooth today, small swell and fun, I muse. It was early. I was going to grab a coffee and meet him at his old Recon Bay. Soon we would be riding two of them out from Pelican Point, around the break wall and heading north to the surfline off of LCAC Country.
I had last seen Captain Priddy on May 29th, 2009 at our K38 Recon Appreciation Day, a fun day on the beach, even though it was drizzling and cold, the Devil Dawgs showed their best. It was a reward for their training schedule from their Gysgt. Colbert. Good friends of mine came out and supported. A few broken chairs, offshore rides, food and fun, soon the men would be leaving once their training was complete.
One thing you can learn from this story is how one’s heart and soul wrapped in perseverance and bolstered with faith can endure difficult times, days, months. The second thing you can learn from this story is don’t just ‘thank’ a service person for the military service, or their emergency service work or their law enforcement job, thank them by participating in their life. There are many ways an expression of gratitude can be extended. In honor of someone, donating time to a noteworthy charity or event is one small measure and easily attainable. It is the American Way.
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Priddy’s Wingman on the Big Blue
September 2009, Captain Priddy’s Recon platoon deployed via ship to chartered waters worldwide. Thousands of miles away Priddy checks out for Lymphoma Cancer as the calendar crosses into the year 2010. In the military you do time, here or there, it’s an endurance of time and sacrifices of a personal nature. He makes several medical stops on his way back to the States and finally arrives in San Diego. Chemotherapy, check. Physical Training, check. Determination, check. The inner circle keeps me afloat of his progress.
The next time I meet with Andrew, a year has passed. It’s July 22nd. We meet at Pizza Port in San Clemente. He orders a pizza and we swap beer cheers. He makes the announcement: “Bone marrow biopsy came back good today, so I’m cancer free once again!” I break into a smile that cannot eclipse his own. He’s on top of the world, gifted twice, gifted with life. Words are tumbling from my thoughts and none spoke are expressive enough to warrant the measure of miracles. Andrew says ‘prayers work’. That caps the conversation and we stare at one another, independent thoughts roam of the possibilities and potentials of hope. Andrew Priddy is officially cancer free.
This places Andrew in the statistical equivalent of a ‘survivor or in remission’. Cancer research and medical applications are trying their best to catch up to curing the many layers of cellular damage or possibly crack a genetic code. Some cancers are operating under environmental exposures, one thing is for sure. There are a lot of forms of cancer. Every family has a story. Cancer ‘survivors’ are increasing in numbers. Andrew is officially deemed a ‘cancer survivor’, twice removed. His warrior status encompasses a second tier level of a fight for life, few are privileged to endure. God is at work, Andrew is listening, as others are, as prayers are lifted up, as doctors perform their duties, as family stands by.
I pull into the boat ramp area. Andrew is standing outside his truck, wetsuit is on, coffee is almost done. We greet and chat a spell, then begin loading some gear. Launching the boats, I park the truck and trailer while he is on his ski, primed. We go over a few skill drills and training discussion. He’s a quick study and a gifted athlete, easy to lead. We finish and head out the harbor mouth. As soon as we turn the break wall we cut to starboard and head out on a steady clip. I look over at Andrew, his smile beams. Mine reciprocates, confirmed, we are experiencing a proper blessing.
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The ocean ahead has a little texture to it. We close in on the shore and the surf is small, but there are a few shoals that throw up head high easy rollers. A few sets roll through and offer clean surprises. Andrew is on the hunt. He’s throttling fast into the water heading towards his bow, but he’s in control, steady speed. We run on the inshore and wait for sets, tacking in and out.
We employ another stop gap moment to shut down the boats and share experiences, the rewind button of thoughts. ‘Perspective and situational awareness’, we both agree are key differences that can keep mediocrity in it’s dungeon. This is the theme of our day.
Andrew is riding the waves, surfing faces on a 960 lb. watercraft. He throttles down and keeps the bow steady into the oncoming peaks, nice and easy. The smiles are a constant flag. There is plenty of time to appreciate the personality of the ocean waves this morning. Time is on our side and it’s all ours. Over 6 billion people in the world, we are experiencing our element. A thought I keep close every day of my life.
We hang for a while then head offshore at a full pace. It’s called Wide Open Throttle (WOT). When we get outside we shut the boats down, sit, drift and talk. The banter of the future, the ever prevalent topic of mediocrity and mindset compliments how we think. We navigate the concrete manifestation of forward movement, and how it applies to the quality of life. He comments ‘Every day I look around at my job, I get paid to do this, I get to drive boats. ..’ his words trail off as I concur, it truly is amazing. Locked in this moment the conversation steadies itself to our mutable perception of what drives us? Perception and mindset, the pinnacles of a merged experience mingled with maturity. If only you could teach this. If only people would not settle for less and start moving forward.
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We spin back and troll along at a very fast pace, the tempo is successive to the follow through with the swell pattern. Our Jet Skis load nice and easy at applied throttle. The ocean has been kind to us. The sky overhead drags a patchy cloud cover. The warmth of the sun keeps us comfortable. The water of the Pacific Ocean always has a cold chill to it. The winds touch down and lift off the surface but never blow. I absorb the colors and gentle movements all around us. I stare back at the fringe of a continent.
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A pod of dolphins (porpoises) joins us in the open. They meander in a tight formation, their speed is fascinating. They cut water and glide between breaths. Looking astern they draft off the trailing wake energy. Their mouth curved lending an appearance they are grinning, no they are wild, not here to assume our affection for being special. We tread into a discussion about the differences between porpoises and dolphins. The intercourse of thoughts are rapid and exciting, rabid for a hunger to gain knowledge as we all should be inclined. I look over at Priddy and he is all about seizing moments. I watch over him as we get back underway. He has perfect form for riding. He’s got his stride down and readily trims the boat. He chooses his own line.
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Porpoises on the Lead
We ride, and check in, talk and decide what comes next. Hunger wakes up the clock. It’s time to eat. It seems that Mexican food keeps popping up. I fix my thoughts on that knowing the food will sit heavy afterwards and will be relaxing for the ride home. Andrew sets the pace back to the base. It’s fast, sure and steady.
We return in step together through the jaws of the harbor and hit smooth water. The final burst of speed. A celebratory coming back home safe sprint, sometimes speed is simply necessary. Nearing the ramp Recon is setting up for dives. We load our boats and spend a few moments talking with fellow Marines and some future training business. One thing is for sure, Marines train Marines with mindset, capability and skill sets to match real world concerns. I get it. But one thing we fail in the private sector is how to define an action. We assume far too often then we face the reality of endurance. I look over at Priddy. He’s has one of those smiles you get when you earn it.
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We head off base and go to the Longboarder Café downtown. Our conversation returns to the future. I look outside the window. America is on the move. Life moves on with or without us. Some people are here and just doing time. A few like Priddy have plans beyond the mundane of necessity He’s taken two hits into the unknown mystery of our flesh. We finish our roll here and head back to base. The victory slam is symbolized in fists coming together. The two forward forces stop at connection, and agree upon one thing. Sometimes you just ‘know’ and the only thing you need to do is keep moving, keep thinking, never stop moving.
Semper Fi
Take the Time to Review These Worthy Viewing Points - Imagine Potential
Cancer Facts & Figures 2010 – We are all a number at some point http://www.cancer.org/Research/CancerFactsFigures/CancerFactsFigures/cancer-facts-and-figures-2010
Lymphoma: A Detailed Description – Get the facts
http://www.lymphomation.org/about-details.htm
2010 Marine Corps Marathon – American Cancer Society – support a worthy cause
http://determination.acsevents.org/site/TR/DetermiNation/DNFY10SouthAtlantic?pg=entry&fr_id=27503
Rock Against Cancer –Bringing the healing power of music to children battling cancer
http://www.rockagainstcancer.org/
The Gratitude Campaign – By Ed Brenegar
http://edbrenegar.typepad.com/leading_questions/2009/08/the-gratitude-campaign.html
Prayers for USMC Capt. Priddy – A facebook page
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Prayers-for-USMC-Capt-Priddy/288661489003?ref=ts
Shoemaker Brothers - America
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TF2dgkxqSW4
K38 Appreciation Day Photo Album
http://www.flickr.com/photos/k38shawn/sets/72157619016640986/
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The Rest of Your Life
I thank you, Shawn Alladio
Note: Rose Hill made the collage, thank you for your support Rose.
