Silence

I have relearned that there is great value in being alone and having peace, quiet and time to think. For those of you who I managed to visit on my passes, you know that I didn’t really care to do a whole lot. I mostly just wanted to sit still, watch a movie or something, or just talk. Nothing really go and do type stuff. I have spent the past 2 and a half months living with anywhere between 40-60 other guys within 100 feet of me, constantly talking, playing movies music or just being loud. I have walked around this base during all hours, from 4 in the morning, to 11 at night, and there are always people everywhere. This place is going constantly. I know it’s the nature of what we do to run operations 24 hours a day, but I find now that I value the solitude and peace that your own space can bring. I like most of these guys that I’m with except some blessed few who manage to annoy me, but we can already tell its going to be a long deployment. I think being over here last time made me a slightly quieter individual, a bit more introspective. That’s an accomplishment for someone as quiet and shy as I was before I joined the Army. I believe that this time will be no different. I can already tell I don’t talk as much as I used to, and I enjoy just sitting and watching other people a bit more. I know that its mostly a phase to compensate for the lack of quiet here and I’ll go back to normal when I get home (whatever normal is) but for now, I’m going to shut up a bit and enjoy my own thoughts when I can hear them. But you can still talk to me. I’d like that!