Those who romance war are as naïve as children on their first day of school. Excited to attend, yet soon stricken with a fear from which you’ve been sheltered. A foreign place, void of all safety and familiarity. You’d beckoned this day to come, prepared for it your whole life. On this day, your preconceived notions of invulnerability are shattered. Growth and change are forced upon you. Some embrace and shine, while others cower, waining for the safety of what once was. Pivotal moments that forever change us. Bonds formed, challenges endured, hardships etched into memory as deep as our soul. Be objective in your thoughts and guard your narrative from becoming skewed. Events worthy of commendation need not warrant a lifelong obligation to despair. Stave off the temptation of prescribed vices that offer solace and resolution. Find beauty in simplicity and pursue a life filled with notable family memories over reoccurring hardships. Be proud of your accomplishments, even if hindsight dictates the action regrettable by those far above your pay grade. Allow the transgressions of your youth to empower you in proper decision making for the rest of your life.