Back from Deployment Lessons (Lesson 6)

Well, I am finally back from my 1st Naval deployment. It lasted 8 months. It was full of a lot of laughs, work, studying, XBOX, working out, missing family and friends, and seeing more of the world. I'd like to share a few lessons that I learned from this time and the people that surrounded me:

1)Not everyone is as smart as you. And you're not as smart as you think. I'm sure we all know this, but this lesson is important to remember. Be patient when dealing with people that don't quite get it. Especially when it's important. You'll want people to be patient with you when a concept is not fully understood.

2)Morality is not measured the same by everyone. No reason to expound or judge, just remember that in life. And remember not to judge.

3)Embrace different cultures. Respect them. Learn from them. Have an open mind. But keep in mind, America is absolutely the best country to live in. Hopefully it will be in 20 years.

4)Never miss the opportunity to tell your loved ones that you love them. Although relatively safe on the carrier, death is still readily available. Accidents have taken a lot of sailors lives. I've already seen it. There is still a chance of that in everyday life. I think it would be awful to suddenly die from an accident and not have my family and close friends know what they mean to me. I will try to share that more. I shared it a lot with Stacy, on whom I should focus the most. But I also want my friends and past bosses or church leaders to know that they meant something to me. So I am trying to tell them one at a time. Via email or voice to voice. You should do the same.

I'm sure there are lessons that I have yet to draw out from this experience. I'm certain they will self manifest in due time.