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I am. It’s no secret I am a born-again Christian. I am a dark soul who sees the world through tainted eyes. And yet I am grateful. Excessively so. I am even thankful for the troubles in my life. Sure, I bitch and moan about them. I let them get me down. However, in the end, they often turn out to be the best thing to happen to me.

Example: My mom moved out when I was fifteen. Left me and my brother to fend for ourselves. My younger brother moved in with one of my sisters and I shared a room over a garage with a co-worker. We shared the rent. I soon grew unhappy with this arrangement and went to the recruiter’s office. It was October then as well.

I had made the decision to enter the service. I really didn’t care which one. I simply wanted something better. I didn’t care about finishing school or getting my high school diploma. I wanted a bed, food, and someplace warm to sleep. I was willing to trade time in my life for these luxuries.

So, I went to the recruiting office. The first office I saw was the Navy. I had thought about the Navy since I had a sister in the Army at one point and another one going into the Air Force. I hadn’t thought about the Marines, but I didn’t put them from my mind either.

As I said, the first office I saw was the one for the Navy, so in I went. The recruiter took one look at me and handed me a book filled with pictures of what you can do in the Navy. I saw one with a firefighter in it and that was it. I wanted to fight fires.

My recruiter asked me a couple of more questions then began the mountain of paperwork it took to recruit someone. I didn’t read a word. I simply signed where he told me to and initialed the other places. When it was done, I simply sat in my chair and waited. He asked me what I was doing and I in turn asked him when I was leaving.

Back then, once you signed the papers you were property of the United States government and they shipped you out. You didn’t wait. The recruiter took you and dropped you off at the processing center where they tested you (the ASVAB) did your physical and had you raise your hand. Then off to boot camp you went. All in less than 24 hours after you signed the papers.

Not me. Nope. My recruiter laughed. Told me to find my way back to where I was living, get my diploma and report back in nine months. Nine Months! I went ballistic. Told him I was ready to go now. Wanted to go now. Send me wherever they wanted to, do whatever they wanted, but take me - now.

He informed me I had signed the papers, why didn’t I read them? This is where I tell you I am probably one of the few who will never talk bad about my recruiter. See, he was crafty. He had me sign up for several schools and other odd items which changed my life.

He was sending me to firefighting school true, but he also sent me to Hull Maintenance Technician (a rate that doesn’t exist anymore) “A” and “C” schools as well as some smaller schools. All in all, I was in schools for almost a year before I even saw a ship.

He sent me home. I had to go back to my high school and tell them I wasn’t quitting. I had joined up and needed to finish. They smiled and readmitted me. I had to go back to those I rented the room from and get my part of the room back. They did it without saying a word. I then had to continue living the way I had been until I was to report to the Navy.

I could gripe about all of that for the rest of my life. However, I am thankful for all of it. I am thankful my Mom left. I am thankful I found myself in need of a decision about changing my life. I am thankful my recruiter did what he did. Because of him I was able to find work, good paying work, for the rest of my life.

I can swear with the best of them. I can gripe and moan and gossip and complain at the professionally expert level. However, none of it does any good. What does? Being thankful for the good and the bad life throws at you. I thank God every day for my life. Thank Jesus for climbing up on that cross. I wouldn’t have.

I also thank them both for my Wifesty – Yvonne. Without her none of this would exist. I love you Wifesty. Thanks for being a part of my life. The only part that matters.

I’m Ross, The Editor-in-Chief at The Pyrateheart Press and I’m out.