Roadrunner—

Remember that time when things were really bad and I was trying to imagine what a picnic would look like and I couldn’t? When things were so bad that I thought I’d always be alone, and I’d always feel messed up, and it was hard to feel hope?

How long ago was that?

Well, guess what I did today?

I went on a picnic—with Caitlin and some friends from group and their significant others. We went to the mountains for a hike and picnicked at the top of a peak. The view was amazing. It was like watching a commercial, except it was actually my life with the sun shining and people laughing and I was able to be there, in the moment, having a good time for hours. We raised a toast to absent friends—and I thought of you and Reyes. I’ve been keeping in touch with the other guys in the squad. Some are doing better than others. But I think that we’ll all make it from here. Even when we feel like our country isn’t stepping up for us, we’re doing our best to be there for each other.

Our yoga teacher (don’t laugh, it’s really helped) told us something this spiritual guy Ram Dass said: “We’re all just walking each other home.” We went to war and saw things that I wish we’d never had to see. Heard things I wish we’d never had to hear. Now, those of us who returned, we’re all helping to walk each other home.

I wish you’d waited for us on the road, buddy.

I wish that every single day.

ThunderGeek out.