On Thursday of this week i will officially begin my service in the Israel Defense Forces. Despite the fact that I am long way from being an active soldier, meaning finished with training, it is a huge step forward in this long journey that I have undertaken.
For me there are two waves of feeling. One of immesurable excitement, and other of fear. Not fear of what is to come, but fear in the fact that we have no idea what is in store for us.
One thing I am truly excited for is getting my uniform. I have been waiting a long time to put this uniform on, and now that it is so close I can't hardly wait. To the best of my knowledge we will get beige airforce uniforms as our dress set or as it is here (Madeh Aleph) and the regular green for our day-to-day (Madeh Bet) set. Because the unit is a part of the Airforce I would also assume that we will get black boots, not the red ones that accompany the Tzanchanim and Nachal Brigades.
For the next couple of days I will be focusing on getting all the gear I need, trying to mentally prepare, and above all else relax, becuase once I start idle time will be a luxury . Tomorrow I am going to the draft of a very close friend, so hopefully that will give me a little bit of a first look at how its going to be. Other than that im passing the time by reading, writing and catching up with friends from back home.
I realize this is a turning point in my life but well have to see which way im turing and where it takes me before I can make any opinion or comments.
Regards from Israel,
אנדרו
PS i'll be sure to post some pictures of me in uniform in the coming weeks.
Andrew,
ReplyDeleteI've never been very good at writing or expressing through words (I guess maybe that's why I'm going into engineering) so I hope this expresses my thoughts and feelings accurately and doesn't come across as completely weird (I swear I mean no harm and wish nothing but the best for you).
The first time I met you at freshmen orientation I decided you were one of the most sincere people I'd ever met. In the short amounts of time I spent with you I discovered that you are perpetually kind and truly care about those around you. When one of your blog entries popped up in my facebook newsfeed and I discovered that you'd moved to Israel to join the IDF I, like many others, was deeply concerned for your well being. After reading through your blog entries I now realize that you are where you belong, though I do miss seeing your smiling face on campus.
Anyways, I just wanted to let you know that I admire you. I admire your openness, strength, determination, kindness, and bravery. Most of all, I admire your love: your love of your friends, your family, God, and your country. Never forget that no matter where you are or where you end up there are always those who care about you close by. Though not many people comment on your blog entries, rest assured that there are many who read each new entry and are relieved to learn you're doing well and living your dream.
Though this may sound a bit corny, remember to always keep your head held high and never give up. You're in my prayers each day. I hope you succeed in all that you do. You truly are my hero.
Sincerely,
Meghan Karriger