Forgiven...

This fine young man certainly has lots of meritorious ribbons. How awesome. I had to take JROTC at Kamehameha. When I made it through mandatory JROTC for Freshman and Sophomore years, they stopped making it a requirement for Sophomores. Then later it wasn't mandatory for Freshman either. The entire JROTC program was eliminated from a former mandatory participation requirement for graduation. I didn't like putting on my uniform and marching around the field. Having to salute upper classmen when in uniform and walking the halls. Shining my shoes. Shining my little insignia medals with Brasso which made my hands smell. I remember buying Corfam shoes from the military base exchange. They were perpetually glossy and didn't need shining. My dad, who was in the Marines for 31 years, introduced me to them.

I remember the first day I wore them to drill. They were the shiniest shoes on the field and my classmates were envious but excited to see some hope of never having to shine their shoes again. One large upperclassman drill sergeant came up to me. Looked at my shiny shoes and all my brass. Everything looked great. He couldn't tell me to shine my shoes. So he took his shoe and stomped on my foot and rubbed dirt into my shoe. Scuffing it up. And laughed. I sucked it up.

It is a little insignificant event in a life filled with thousands of memories. But over twenty years later. It is still vivid. And while I haven't forgotten it. I have forgiven him. Because that is the way of Ke Akua. And if I ever run into him again. He should consider the blessings of forgiveness. Lucky him. That's all I will say. Lucky him...