Words of Wisdom ;)

OK! This posting is very special to me and very LONG! In fact, it might have to be split into 2 postings!! :) So please read and post your comments to me! :) Muah! In Christ.. me

Hey everyone! Konichiwa! I miss you all! I will write everyone individual emails when I finish this! :) But right now I have a favor to ask! I'm writing this for a Corporal who asked me the other day, "What does a Lance Corporal mean to you?" Which got me to thinking about more than what a LanceCpl ment to me. It got me to thinking about what the Corps means to me, if and what I've learned thus far, and what do I plan to do and learn in the future. :) You all know me! When I get these crazy thoughts in my head I have to write them down and then have everyone read them and give me a response back! Lol! :) Ok? So, please do this for me and remember to keep an open mind to what it is that I have to say. Rememebr please that these are my views, my thoughts, and my own opinions. And also remember that I have to very bad habit of going off on little tangents every once in a while! So bear with me! And also rememer that my spelling is terrible also! Especially when I get in a hurry!:) And yes, I do know that sentences DO NOT begin with And, So, But, Because, etc! So... here goes... What it means to Me By: Jessica M. Fail PFC, USMC My Corporal asked me the other day "What does being a Lance Corporal mean to you?" For those of you who are unsure what that is it is an E-3, third rank up from the bottom of the enlisted side of the Corps. The next rank above mine. Well, I avoided answering him right then to go and really think it over myself. What did it REALLY mean to me? Was it just the next rank up? Someone who got paid a little more than myself? If I would have given him an answer then it would have probably went something like this: Someone paid a little more than me, who technically doesn't earn the rank; eventually everyone picks it up. But I really sat down and gave it some thought. So much thought actually, that it also got me to thinking about what the Corps ment to me and if it has really taught me to just give blown off answers like that. Hadn't I learned anything? And so I thought, and this is what I've came up with... I never really planned to come into the Marine Corps. I had wanted to be a vet since I was four, but because I messed around freshman and sophmore year of high school, I messed up my chances for vet school pretty bad. But it was my junior year I had decided I wanted to become a college professor in history, double majoring with religion, and then getting a bachelors in equine studies. But I knew I would not ask my mom or Jimmy to pay for any of this. NO WAY!! They had enough on their plate with my 2 brothers and my little neice! Plus house and car payments! How could I even think to ask them after I blew my chance at a scholarship?! So, after September 11th, I decided to join the Navy, to see the world and get my education. But it was by chance I met a recruiter who changed my mind completely, but that is a story for another time. Although mom wasn't the happiest with my decision, she and the rest of my family backed me wholeheartedly. So, it was final, and before I knew it, I was gettin shipped off to Marine Corps boot camp! Sometimes, when I close my eyes, I can still remember the way everything looked and the way I felt when I left my house, when I got on the plane, when I got on the bus, when I stood on the Yellow Footprints, when I met my Drill Instructors for the first time. And then I start to remember what is was that I learned, what it was they instilled in me. Pride- in myself, in the uniform that I wore, in the jobs that I did; courage - to be the best I could be, to never give up, to stand up for what was right even if it ment to stand alone; commitment- to never give up, to keep pushing for greater things; integrity - to do the right thing all the time, even when no one else was watching; discipline - being the center of calmness in a chaotic situation, to hold my tongue when I didn't agree with someone higher ranking even if they WERE wrong; honor - to always remember that I serve others and that I willingly chose to defend my family, my friends, my country, and my Corps, that even if the man next to you was wrong, he is still your brother and we take care of each other here... and there are many other things they've taught me, that's just to name a few. One other thing that they have taught me was leadership - that being a leader means you need to learn to follow first, to take orders from others whose rank is higher than your own. Even if it is someone who is one pay grade above you, in a position that everyone gets promoted to at some point in time. Most of them have been in longer, not by much, but long enough that they know what's going on and how things work. Because they are sometimes the highest ranking ppl in charge of you, and, if bad things happen, it is their butt not yours. It really is difficult to tell you all WHAT it means to me. Some things are just feelings you have, unexplainable yet, you can put them into actions. Its the respect that you show for people, like when a simple action speaks volumes to a person. Ya know? It really is hard to explain it. And that's what I think I need to remember sometimes. That a little bit of respect can go a long way. That some ppl work really hard to get up where they are. There will always be ppl who just ride the waves. But if you want to be someone ppl respect, someone that ppl look up to and want to be like, then you have to work hard for that. You have to put forth effort and show pppl higher up that you have the stuff that it takes to lead other Marines. Because they are not going to put their lives into incapable hands. They might be Jarheads, but they're far from stupid. So I'm gonna try. I'm gonna work hard to get up there and show them that I have what it takes. Because I was given a chance once to show someone that I do have what it takes. I was given a chance, and now it's my turn to give back. So, Rob, I know your reading this, listen to me when I say don't be the one to ride the waves. You have what it takes. I believe in you. You got that stuff inside that most ppl dream of just having a taste of! Just believe in yourself like I do and NEVER GIVE UP on your DREAMS!! God gave you those dreams because they are GIFTS that you are good at! And I will back you 100% on anything you put your mind to doing. And Jen, I'm so proud of you! you are coming so far! Just stick with it and you can turn so many things around! I know you know what I'm talking about! I have faith in you that you can do it! I believe that you've always wanted to yet, never felt like you've had anyone to belive in you, well I DO! I belive that you can do anything you set your mind to! I belive that you will be top of your class at RN school! And I belive that you can do so much BETTER than the Treys, and Chads, and Adams and Trents in your life!! Just don't go looking for it! It will come to you in its own time! Don't rush it!! I love you and am ALWAYS here for you! Even if we don't always agree on evrything! :) If we did, where would all the fun be in being sisters?!:) And mom, you are the BEST MOTHER on the face of the earth! You have ONLY wanted the BEST for us!! You've never kept us from anything and you've always encouraged us to follow our dreams! Don't forget that the petty things are just that.. petty! Your are a great mom and an amazing WOMAN!! You were always there for me, before I had friends, through the rough " Boys hate me" stage ;)( Heehee!), and through everything!! I love you more than anyone else! (No offense to anyone else - Aniie only became my friend at first cuz she felt sorry for me! BRAT!) Just don't ever forget your WORTH mom! More precious tha rubies, more beautiful than diamonds... well, to every one else I love you and need to go! Time up! LB~ I hope this is good enough fo r now! Muah! Love forever! Jess

Philippians 4:13 ~ I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.