It's funny how the slightest little thing can bring back memories so vividly clear that you somehow feel you are there again. This morning, as in any other morning, I woke up and preformed my daily routine of coming in to work. But this morning things were a bit different. As I was walking in, a slight cool breeze swept across me and for an instance I was back in 29 Palms California. Why out of all places does 29 Palms come to mind, well because it was there where we did our desert training or for us Marines "CAX". But going back to what I was feeling ... what I was seeing is more like it. The memory of me getting up at early dawn, stepping out and walking down to the comm tent was all to real. The building in front of me dissappeared and all around I could see the morning desert. Calm and quiet, only the sound of the wind crossing it's scarce tumble weeds are heard. I could see the desert sky and the orange glow from the rising sun. And though I was wearing t-shirt and jeans, I could feel my uniform along with the firm feel of my rifle slung around my shoulder. For a brief second, I was in 29 Palms and now minuets later, I'm sadden by the thought that I'll never see what I've seen or feel what I've felt during my time in the Marines again.. except only in my memories. After all, in the end all we have is our memories.
